This week, it will have been two months since we landed in this foreign land of Florida.
Eveything, absolutely everything in life is different. Not different in a bad way, just different. The little things you do on a daily basis, the habits, the routines, the friends and family. Things that were important now are important in a different way, mostly as memories. Everything from getting up in the morning, to the unfamiliar faces you greet both in the commute to work and those on the street after you get to work. My office is different, my studio is different, my routine is different and the scenery is definitely different.
That being said, I guess I’m not insane as I felt I needed to do something different in order to get other-than-the-same results.
So, have you ever wondered what it might be like to just move away and start over?
This is what it’s like.
Last year after Judy went in the hospital for emergency Gall bladder surgery, it became pretty clear to me that we needed to try and do something different if we were going to be able to afford health insurance. Thankfully our church (Cornerstone) stepped up and helped out a bit and helped take some of the pressure off, but we will be paying off the hospital for many years to come unless things become real successful, which of course we strive for.
Keokuk always treated us well and no complaints from me. It’s just that the market there for what I do and the world economy no doubt pressed us into needing to take some drastic measures. That’s when the idea of getting out of our routine and considering moving our entire existence started to form.
I had moved from Keokuk back in 1999 and it was because a job at CHMI called me back with great incentives, good pay and position. I thought sure I had some security, insurances and maybe even retirement. That combined with being a photographer on the side made for living in Keokuk nice and comfortable. For 10 years I enjoyed that and then all of a sudden, the company crashed and nearly everyone was permanently laid off. For the next two or three years we gave it a go on Main Street and seeing the writing on the wall, I began to look at options.
For those that have been following our story, you know that this studio in Venice, FL. became available and that is where we are and many many small and large miracle made it possible for me to continue to do the job that I love to do. So far it’s working out wonderfully.
You probably also know that I miss my family and friends like crazy. I’m missing seeing my child and grandchild and his mother, my mother and brothers, cousins and neighbors. Our church family was close and irreplaceable.
So for the moment, after only two months, we still feel like we’re floating and I’ve heard it said that it take a couple of years to feel at home.
I’ll let you know how that works out!
Thanks for reading.
e!