Turn-About
Years ago, before I met my husband, and before I ever imagined working where I now do, I took a little mini-vacation to the town where I now work. In my journal, I wrote:
Note to Self: Do not ever move to [Town] unless you are ready to be a total home-body.
The great irony of this is that now I am a total homebody, and I think the solution to that issue (if it's an issue) is to move to that very town. Since I wrote that note (nearly 11 years ago!) I have become really involved in the town's community. It is not just a place I drive to and then leave 8 hours later. I know artists and writers. I know the owner of the country club and the owner of the brew-pub. I consider one of the town's librarians a friend. I am on a first-name basis with more of the area teachers than you can shake ruler at. I am aware of a lot of interesting events that I would often like to attend, but don't because I live an hour away.
As a result of a slow, weird evolution, I now want to live in (or near - the schools suck) the town I once disparaged.
It would be hard to leave where we now live. It's a nice little town. The sort of town where the post office calls you at 10:00 on Christmas eve morning to let you know you have a package there. The sort of town where, if your car goes off the road, some neighbor will drive by soon and haul you out. And we have good friends in our landlords. They have made it abundantly clear that they do not want us to leave, ever. They want us to buy the house we rent from them. Our son is like a grandchild to them. That would be the hardest part.
But I think it's going to happen within the next year or so. I really do. And our lives will be so much better for it. Less spent on gas and car maintenance (because my husband will find a job there too), more time at home, probably cheaper daycare costs. It's so funny how much life can change.
Note to Self: Do not ever move to [Town] unless you are ready to be a total home-body.
The great irony of this is that now I am a total homebody, and I think the solution to that issue (if it's an issue) is to move to that very town. Since I wrote that note (nearly 11 years ago!) I have become really involved in the town's community. It is not just a place I drive to and then leave 8 hours later. I know artists and writers. I know the owner of the country club and the owner of the brew-pub. I consider one of the town's librarians a friend. I am on a first-name basis with more of the area teachers than you can shake ruler at. I am aware of a lot of interesting events that I would often like to attend, but don't because I live an hour away.
As a result of a slow, weird evolution, I now want to live in (or near - the schools suck) the town I once disparaged.
It would be hard to leave where we now live. It's a nice little town. The sort of town where the post office calls you at 10:00 on Christmas eve morning to let you know you have a package there. The sort of town where, if your car goes off the road, some neighbor will drive by soon and haul you out. And we have good friends in our landlords. They have made it abundantly clear that they do not want us to leave, ever. They want us to buy the house we rent from them. Our son is like a grandchild to them. That would be the hardest part.
But I think it's going to happen within the next year or so. I really do. And our lives will be so much better for it. Less spent on gas and car maintenance (because my husband will find a job there too), more time at home, probably cheaper daycare costs. It's so funny how much life can change.