Well, we’ve done it. Within a week, we have purchased a second car, signed up for cell phone service, moved into a house (rented), and applied for jobs (well, one of us has anyway). Right back into the mainstream. But we are happy. It feels good to be settling down and it feels good to have some options still open (like Keith’s career and where, if, and when we will buy a home). Oh yeah, and it feels great to have a closet! No more clothes bag!
Upon flying into LA, we used pretty swift public transport and got back to our car which was graciously housed at the father of my new sister-in-law’s place of work. We headed north immediately taking the somewhat scenic route on 101. I-5 just seemed too straight and boring and Hwy 1 too slow and scenic so we compromised on the 101. It is a nice drive, giving us glimpses of the ocean and pretty green and hilly scenery. We didn’t plan to make it as far as San Francisco that day, but we were making good time, and we have a friend there, so we pushed on and got to her house about 10:00. We had a nice visit and hit the road early in the morning.
By about noon the next day, we reached Castle Crags State Park in northern California and did the main hike to the top. A spectacular hike, and one we highly recommend if you are doing the I-5 drive to California. It is right off the highway, not too long, and provides great views and really crazy rock formations. We found ourselves in Medford having dinner at 7:00 and felt like we were a stone’s throw from Eugene, so we pushed on again, and made it to our friend’s house by 11:00. And that was that. I guess the official end of our trip!
A nice view of Mt Shasta on the way to the top of the Crags:
Nice colors and scenery along the way:
The valley of crags at the end of the trail:
We started our search for a place to live that a) was close to downtown, b) allowed dogs, c) had a fenced backyard, d) was in the right price range, and e) offered a short term lease and despite all these requirements, we actually were able to find something by the end of the weekend. After securing the house with a move-in date of March 1, we visited our old neighbors in Lebanon and bought a car. One I never thought I’d see us getting, but after spending a month in my dad’s Ford Explorer and hearing him rave about what great cars they are for the value, we looked into them, and indeed did find a great deal. So, we are quickly a two-car household with a highly efficient Honda Civic, and a not-so-efficient-but-not-bad-for-an-SUV Explorer.
After nearly draining our bank accounts with all that, we scuttled on down to Keith’s parents for a nice visit, and our last round of free room and board. A rainy and cold, but nice visit, and yet another reunion with our dog, who I think will sorely miss life with retired ‘grandparents’ (sorry mom) who take her on walks and to sand dunes and are home all day to coddle to her. Now she will be an urban dog whose parents work and leave her alone for 10 hours a day. We loaded up our trailer and truck with about half of the stuff we stored at his parents’ and headed back to Eugene and moved in.
We’ve got ourselves a cute, older 2-bedroom, 1 bath house close to the heart of Eugene. After only a few walks around our neighborhood, we discovered a fabulous organic market only two blocks away that serves a fine cup of coffee and an array of bulk goods at reasonable prices. Hooray! And on the next main street up, we found….are you ready for this? A panadaria! (My mom is sure to come and visit now.) And a carniceria and a taco & burrito stand, and a Mexican supermercado. Apparently this little stretch is a popular area for Hispanic businesses. Organic-granola style on one block, Mexican on the next, yuppie-ville not far down the road. Diversity at its best….we must be back in Eugene.
Here's our new home (and the Explorer):
Inside. A little lacking on the furniture. We still have to make a run north up to my folks' place to pick up another load of stuff.
It's been almost unseasonably cold here, and yesterday after a snowy walk up the local Butte, we were treated to some of the falling white stuff on the valley floor. This is looking out our front window. That car across the street is not the stereotypical Eugene vehicle.
And tomorrow I have not one, but three interviews at the local hospital. Ack! The real world is crashing down. Wish me luck.
