Oh 2017 had so much going on…. where to even start with it…

the year started off living in the East Bay of California…. there was a lot of exploring the area with new places and old favorites. Working at a retirement home and loving and caring for those I served. I also started biking more and challenging myself to bike for explorations sake.

The Bay Area has always had my heart but The East Bay had found new room to grow into. 

Before the end of winter was over it was a quick move back to Utah. I was a bit sad living California sooner than planned… there were so many weekend trips and a great work schedule that worked out how I wanted it to. The first in ever! But Utah came more adventures, a little snow, rain from California and back at the cafe for a short period of time.

In Utah, there was a lot of day trips and a lot of evening hikes and bike rides. I went back to Poetflow on Tuesday nights and the occasional get together with friends and summer came and live music in downtown Ogden.

By the end of June it was another big move and one that had to be done quickly. This time to the PNW and Portland as the hub of it all.

For the move we had to make one full road trip out to Portland on our way to California for an original trip then back to Utah for another round of packing up the van and back to Portland as the final destination. July into August was a whirlwind.

Portland took some adjusting to get used to. I had a harder time getting a job , figuring out what to do with the soon onset of winterizing, getting mail, where to dump and fill, getting into one RV park and then to move to another RV park, figuring out laundry, showers and how then how to figure out the navigation of Portland. And then the soon returning rains while also commuting by bike.

The trips though, the coast of Oregon is beautiful, the desert and the Coffee shops galore.

I did finally land a job nannying in Portland. It was taxing yet it was in its own way a joy and blessing. I had the weekends off, the children and I explored the neighborhoods, went to the zoo and children’s museum and music for children. A lot of park time and also a lot of meltdowns. For all of us.

At the end of October I made the decision to come out to North Carolina. There was a lot of reasoning for this. It has been good in a lot of ways, I have gotten to spend time with my best friend and my nieces, explore, recoup and have some down time to re-evaluate everything. Sometimes going to the mountains and woods is good. I had planned/hoped that doing so would help me to sit down and write something… a short story or a novel. I wanted to play Jane Austen for a bit…;)

with coming out to North Carolina I made the choice to find Charlie a new home. It wasn’t easy to make and I kept putting it off for months. The reasons came down to not really knowing what would happen next for me, not having the money to properly care for him with vets, the shots he needed or haircuts and making sure he had someone with him more throughout the day. This was the biggest heartbreak I had to make but one I know is best for Charlie. He is in a new home with an older man who is able to give him the proper care he needs and a place for him to roam and play.

I miss him everyday but I am comforted in knowing he is in the right home.

I’m not sure what 2018 will bring. I’m Hopeful…. and Open. I suppose that is all we can be sometimes.

With love

jess