What's happened since I was last here
With some notable help from friends, I managed to escape Los Angeles and spent nearly two years in Vancouver, BC. I reconnected with one good friend, found a lot of people had moved away, and eventually found steady employment. Along with concluding I couldn't afford to live there on my own. While I was there, my father passed away from a series of strokes and I made plans to move back to the U.S.
I found out my employer had their main manufacturing facility here in Bellingham, WA and asked for a job there and with some help from the friendly supervisor there, got approved.
I spent the next six months living in hotels, as the local housing market was even worse than where I was. Roommates are not an option for me. Eventually I found this place, which is a garage on a rural property, converted into a duplex. I adopted an adorable black cat named Topaz and so far, we're living happily ever after.
I love this city, work is tolerable, and I'm dealing with some heart problems that came roaring back after decades of clear health.