Wedding Anniverary

This weekend Mary and I will be celebrating our one year wedding anniversary by visiting Santa Monica again. Our wedding also marks the even that started this blog, so for me it is a double anniversary.

I remember the first post included several pictures from the wedding and reception; you can visit the entry by clicking here. The wedding was a small ceremony with close friends and family invited, but the reception was nothing short of a great party filled with music and dancing. I remember the photographer volunteering to stay longer saying he had never had so much fun at a wedding. The reception also was a time for us to say goodbye as our remaining time in the Ozarks was coming to a close and we were unable to visit everyone before venturing across the country on my first travel assignment.

Most weddings include gifts for the new couple, but we requested no such thing. Whereas many newlyweds accumulate to build their life together, Mary and I were doing just the opposite in an attempt to move down from a large home into a tiny one before even leaving that behind as we crammed our car with just a few necessaries. The shedding process included yard sales, garage sales, bartering, gifting, and several trips to the trash dump. What we lost in personal belongings, we gained in the freedom to travel where ever opportunity presented itself. So far, that being California, but many years lay ahead for us to explore.

The highlights of our first year included sharing our last summer with Molly in Santa Monica. We made the most out of time with her and yet it doesn't seem like it was enough.

Making friends in Santa Monica helped ease into our travel life, we saw our dream of having continued relationships on our travels come to fruition.

The move to the Beach House helped remove the stress from driving in L.A. and I arrived home from work in a much better frame of mind. Walking on the beach became our favorite past time, whether it was to collect sea glass, exercise, or just to stroll while holding hands. The best thing about life on the beach was after a busy year, it was a opportunity to slow down. Mary had time to landscape the courtyard, eventually rekindling the owner's enthusiasm and I used time to tap on these keys thoughts and insights.

So has marriage changed us any? I suppose so. In a year marked with so many changes in our lives the commitment to one another holds true and our trust grows.

The coming year together promises different locations, more time together, as always… a promising outlook.

Easter is on the way and you can view Peep Perfect Pictures at

Peeproast.com

Roasting Peeps has been a family tradition for us for several years now,  you can learn how the tradition began by clicking here.

Hello San Diego!

“So how far are you from work?” asks another nurse.

 

“How close is Sea World?” asks a friend.

 

The answer would be “fifteen minutes” to both of them, and most any other location give or take a few.  We are located in a central part of San Diego adjoining Balboa Park. What Central Park is to New York; Balboa is to San Diego, filled with trails, the zoo, a golf course and several museums.

 

Today we visited Balboa, first the dog park which is a short bike ride away. Mary has plans to run Princess there when I am at work.  The late morning we made our first visit to the Zoo.

 

I had purchased season membership passes online at home earlier that morning and printed out a copy while we wait for the cards in the mail.  On the way out the door I also picked up a copy of our lease thinking I may need it to prove residency.

 

After parking, I asked Mary where the printed pass is, and realized I left it at home though still had the lease.  Like a lease was gonna get us in the zoo.  My brain raced with questions of where I might have placed it in the car, why didn’t I remember it, and “ain’t that just like a Cox for ya” thoughts.

 

The print out was from an emailed receipt since it was purchased online, so I pulled out my fancy “smart phone” and guess what?  There was my email copy on the phone. 

 

The two women working the ticket booth seemed amazed at the novelty of my phone as proof of purchace, making me think I may have been the first to have used a paperless entry into the zoo.  Anyway, it worked!

 

So far we have located and visited two Wal-Marts and one Sams Club.  The Wal-Mart up North was nice but a little too white, while the one further south definitely was diverse in culture.  There is nothing like a Wal-Mart to bring together different ethnics, races, and groups of people while everyone still feeling safe. That Sam was a smart fellow.

 

My GPS sent us on a couple of pointless searches for a Best Buy and a downtown Wal-Mart, both at least made for interesting discoveries, especially driving downtown where we located a cool tourist area filled with restaurants and bars.

 

The previous day we had lunch at The Big Kitchen, a diner of national fame featured in Bon Appetit and The Food Network, and ranked as the Nations’ best breakfast.  Whoopi Goldberg once worked there, and to think it is just a block down the road from us!

 

Our home is small, only six hundred square feet, and I have had many homes with closets bigger than this bathroom, but the place is well furnished and makes best use of the space. The courtyard is amazing and our hope is to enjoy the warm summer evenings there. 

 

If we spend excess time in our small living area, then we will have failed to truly enjoy what San Diego has to offer. 

San Diego Bound

View of our new courtyard.

"Good coffee", I think to myself sipping a taste of brew. It came from the coffee shop behind our new home in San Diego. Yep, that's right not only are Mary and I moving to San Diego, there is a coffee shop directly behind our latest home. I am in heaven!

Our intention was to return home to Missouri and spend a little time with Lydia, my grandbaby while we wait out for another assignment. All I have heard for the past several weeks is hour difficult the job situation is for travel nursing. I was never discouraged, but I planned for a protracted wait for the next job and so best to wait it out while taking care of some things back home.

The dream for Mary and I is to enjoy wherever we are, but not to take just any location for the sake of a paycheck. So what few positions were passed along to me I declined as they were not my favorite choices. I made it clear that San Diego would definitely get my attention as Hawaii is postponed while we get Princess's papers and shots taken care of.

Then I got a call to set up an interview for a San Diego assignment. It was amazing!

Of course the interview went well, and I am offered a six month position working days. I accept and just like that Mary and my plans have changed again. Flexibility is a must for this lifestyle.

I turned down the housing offer from the travel company to opt for our own chances at a place more desirable and trusted in Mary's efforts. Let me mention here that housing in San Diego is expensive!

Without getting discouraged we looked at a few places that were not exactly what we were looking for until we checked out a small place that we at first thought were going to pass on. It is a cute, small, two bedroom with a knockout secluded courtyard. The owner lives upstairs and remodeled it himself, you can tell he watches those home decorating shows on TV, as the place is amazing.

Even more so is the location, it is only a fifteen minute drive from the hospital and a mile from the San Diego Zoo. The neighborhood is old with shops, restaurants, and boutiques along the drive but the community is made up of primarily college students with the average age looking to be about mid thirties, making me the "older guy" neighbor.

"So how far is it from the beach?" I kept hearing from friends.

About a fifteen minute drive so I am told. Don't be disappointed for us though, we had two seasons of living on the beach and ready for a change, as long as the ocean is nearby. The community definitely offers change and the owner of our home is active in promoting activities, such as a monthly outdoor movie presentation.

I love going to the zoo and season passes to Sea World are in the plan. Give me a call if you are interested in checking out a Padres baseball game.

Winter on the Beach

"So what's been going on Gary?" asks a friend on the phone.

"Everything as planned" I say, which is to say not much really.

Mum gets on the phone to ask if we went to a dance lesson last week. "Nope, missed it again", I say.

We had intended to but spent an exhausting day on the beach and upon arrival home took a nap. The cool pillow felt so good on my face. We slept through the lesson, perhaps next week.

Dinner and a few drinks with neighbors last night was fun. Happy hour lasted till six o'clock but we ended up staying till after seven, the view of sailboats at night gliding past our table was amazing.

I remember a quote from a popular book; "It's your life and it's ending minute by minute." How true.

For now, this winter, we inhale. We build strength. We coil our energy, waiting for the moment to release.

We are patient.

Slowing Down for a Season

A Portions of Mary's growing beach glass collection.

Being new to California keeps the weather here a surprise to me.  It feels as though winter is over here!

December was particularly cool here as long time residents bundled up saying it had been a long time since it was this cold. Even I could be seen wearing a light jacket, a sight rarely observed by my friends in Missouri’s much colder climes.

Since the start of the New Year however, the temperature has begun to climb again as Mary and I walked on the beach with shorts and short sleeved tops.  We spent three hours walking during low tide in search for more beach glass, Mary’s most recent obsession.

We have so much glass that she is now parceling different colors out to give to neighbors, as shovelfuls accumulate on the coffee table in bowls and vases, each labeled as to where they will end up.  Let’s see, Mike and Roz get a mixture as a farewell present when they leave, fixtures on the outside brick wall will be filled with different colors, and decorative vases are to be filled and delivered to a few other neighbors.

I have been instructed to pass on the smaller slivers of colored glass and leave those for weekenders and vacationers.  We are to be focused on the larger more unique and decorative pieces. I am fully agreeable, partly because it is my nature but also realizing that at least this is a free hobby.

The whole point in remaining at the Beach House was to slow down and save money for our future trip to Hawaii, walks along the beach picking up a few pieces of glass fits the bill there.  Visiting neighbors and sharing a bottle of wine constitutes a great evening out, though Mary has recently located dance studios in nearby Ventura that we hope to try.

The first of the year also means time to catch up on paper work, even though Mary has been keeping up with it, there still is a pile to go through both with yearend stuff as well as a list of new year things to address.  I try to look at it early in the day before it warms up and time for a walk, but not so late as to miss my nap.

Yes, I’m spoiled.

An Interview with Gary

Gary has given up his keyboard to allow someone else a crack at his blog.  As long as the subject was an interview with him of course!  So having a few moments to sit down with a recent travel nurse and a someone I consider a great friend I jumped at the chance to ask a few questions and write an entry for the blog.

Hey Gary thanks for giving up the reins on your blog for the day, you and Mary have had a fantastic 2008, and it’s great that you are willing to sit down and reminisce with me for a few questions.

Oh yeah, it’s been a whirlwind of a year, and hey, I don’t mind answering a few questions.  As long as I get to proofread what you’re putting on the blog.

You started the year by leaving a six year position with a nearby hospital for a new one, right?

The hospital I was with initiated budget cuts which meant cutting a weekend option position I held there, resulting in a thirty percent cut in pay for me.  You know, I don’t mind taking one for the team but saving their budget by devastating mine wasn’t an option.  So I took a local registry position at another nearby hospital resulting in a pay raise; made for a great move on my part. Learning to adapt to change can be rewarding.

You and Mary took your first road trip that winter, right?

We wanted to take a test run of how we would do with life on the road so drove to San Antonio Texas.  We had a fantastic time, and I think it helped Mary a lot to see how adaptable I am.  When we drove home an ice storm began in Oklahoma and it was so bad in Springfield Missouri that our friends told us not to come home.  No power at the house etc.  So we actually spent two nights at a Tribal Casino resort before returning home.  When we did finally make it home; sure enough still no power, no heat, no water.  We wondered why we left Texas.

After the road trip, it was time to get ready for the wedding.  How did that go?

You were there, it was awesome!  The ceremony was everything we wanted, a small casual gathering of close friends and family.  The party afterwards was a blast.  Several visitors said they had never seen so much dancing at a reception before.

What is your fondest memory of the wedding?

Oh that’s easy.  All of it!  You know, a lot of weddings are so structured and busy, not to mention the couple being so nervous they miss out on a lot or don’t remember as much.  I took it all in and loved it.

Any other thoughts on the wedding?

Sure, it wasn’t until later in the year that I perceived the wedding as a marking point in my life.  The party after the wedding also combined as a farewell party since Mary and I would be leaving the Ozarks just a few weeks later.  So it served as a time to say goodbye to friends I made in the Ozarks as well as a celebration for my new life with Mary.

How did the transition to being a traveler go?

Getting rid of all the stuff actually felt like a great release, I had no idea how much of burden it all was until it was gone.  I recommend it even to those who don’t travel.  Live with less. 

I know we accumulate most things because we think it will make life more convenient, and owning is better.  What we now have must fit in our Honda Accord or it doesn’t go.  We have exchanged things for time, convenience for experience, and gained a new respect for living in the moment.

Hey hold on their Gary, you trying to become a philosopher?

Not so much philosopher, it’s just that living as a traveler really does require a difference in how to approach life.  It has its own set of values that often are in stark contrast to conventional American way of life.  A difference which often becomes quite evident as we socialize and converse with locals; our values are not the same.  Not better values, just different.

Did you plan on staying at the same hospital as long as you have?

No I didn’t.  That is one thing that has been a surprise to me.  It’s OK to make plans but I have learned that they are always subject to change.  Mary and I intended to make the most of traveling right away but learned that if we like an area, it’s OK to stay awhile. No point in moving just for the sake of it.

While I have kept the same nursing position, we have relocated from Santa Monica to life on the Beach in Ventura. The slower pace has been good for me; it has been such a whirlwind of a year.  Now that I think about it, over the past year I have actually held three different positions; two units at the same hospital in Missouri before leaving and the current one here in California.

What is the one best ingredient for making your travel life a success?

Oh, now you’re getting some fun questions.  I suppose our adaptability. 

Mary and I can make the most of any situation.  Wherever we are, Mary keeps her eye on what is important to her; Me.  After that, it’s all good and we strive to make our lives better from there. The small living quarters in Santa Monica we considered cozy, and made for reason to get out more often.  Mary took up gardening. 

The beach house is much larger and most of our neighbors are quite wealthy.  We learned to share their appreciation for beach glass, an item holding little monetary value.  It’s real worth being it’s representation of time spent on the beach. 

So realizing that plans are subject to change, what is in store for the coming year?

My contract has been extended till the first of April, so we will remain at the beach house till then.  While here I hope to have family and some friends over for visits.  Winter is not the warmest months in California but they are a heck of a lot better than Missouri.

As spring approaches I hope to promote my Easter tradition of Peep roasting.  I’ll be sharing more about that in the coming months.

Our goal is to move to Hawaii in April and after that I can’t honestly say, though we plan to return to southern California for the winter.

Well thanks for sharing your thoughts Gary and I know you will keep us posted on your interesting year coming up.

Gifts for a Traveler

 
What kind of present can you get a traveler?  That is the question Mary and I asked ourselves when thinking of our landlord, David.

Of course we too are travelers and knew the answer is, not much.  Chinese plastic won't do, or anything that takes up space in a bag for that matter.   Dave is a master of regifting.  A gift barely sits still before it belongs to someone else.  Just the other day he brought over a box of chocolates but forgot to remove one that was bitten and replaced. 

How tacky Dave.

When you understand that Dave just doesn’t have an attachment to stuff, you take his antics with a grain of salt. To Dave, gifts are to be given; he never mastered the part that gifts are also to be received. 

 So what is the answer to what do you give a traveler? 

For Dave I painted the above mural in a dummy doorway.  It demonstrated our appreciation for him without taking up space in his luggage. 

“Now that is a perfect gift.” he declared.

I have a few more pictures at our picture blog, click here.

Dave is here through Christmas day and will be taking off for Mexico, after that he is not sure, but may not return for another year.  We will miss him, but wish him well in his travels.

Molly & AmeriCorps Crash for the Night

More pics here.

We had quite the surprise this week.  It started as Mary and I were on our way home from Santa Monica, a phone call from Molly.  She is in the AmeriCorps for almost a year and we haven’t seen her since the first of October.  Her and her “team” was returning to Sacramento from Austin Texas where they had been working with FEMA and hurricane Ike victims.  

“Dad, we can’t make it to our hotel thanks to snow and highway closures.  Can we stay at your place for the night?” she calls asking.

“Of course you can.” I reply.

“Um, how many of you are there?” I think to ask.

“Just eleven, and oh thanks a bunch, we’ll see ya in a couple of hours.” She says excitedly, and hangs up.

“Eleven young adults in our small house,” Mary states, “oh how exciting!”

Mary truly is a great hostess and when we arrived home she set to work borrowing mattresses and bedding from a few neighbors.  Why a pillow here and foam pad there on the floor and she managed room for everyone. Truly amazing!

A few hours’ later two passenger vans pulled up as a bewildered neighbor watched them pile out and cram into our small home.  Fortunately they had already eaten before arriving though we did provide an evening snack of milk and brownies.

Molly looked just great. She seemed happy and just the past few months of being part of a team has made a great change in her attitude.

“I can tell you aren’t so caught up into yourself.” compliments Mary.

“What, you thought I was all about myself before?” asks Molly.

“Yes!” we both reply laughing.

AmeriCorps has created some hopefully life changing attributes for Molly and I am so proud of her for joining and taking it to heart.

 

Holiday Update

Merry Christmas!
You can view more holiday pics here.

Winter in California is amazing.  The temperature on the beach reaches the mid 60's but if you turn around and look up to the mountains in the nearby distance you can see snow atop them.  How cool is that?

Last evening we returned to Santa Monica to spend time with friends there and went ice skating outside.  A real surprise for this part of the country!

I have been working on a Christmas present for our landlord, if it's not posted yet, it will be shortly. It is a small mural I have painted of a deep sea diver that you can only view when opening up a dummie door ajoining two seperate living areas.  He will be surprised!

We attended a Christmas party  held across the street from a parade of lights in the marina.  The boats get all lit up and sail along the marina to compete for a small cash prize for the most creative lighting.  Visitors line along the shore watching them, but we had a view from the third story of the house.  We did take a stroll to the shore but a nippy wind changed Mary's mind.

This year we are passing on giving  and receiving gifts, but we did get a present that we both enjoy.  It is  a digital picture frame that displays pictures.  We are extra cautious on any purchase as ultimately whatever we buy must find room in our small car, and this certainly made the packing criterea.  We have already placed two years of pictures on it and barely made a dent in it's memory capacity.  Pictures to anyone else; memories to us.

If you haven't already heard, I am extending another contract in Thousand Oaks and we will remain at the beach till the first of April, from there we hope to move next to Hawaii.  One thing I have learned though; plans are easily subject to changee.  Flexability is the name of this travel nursing game.  

"We currently have lots of positions in Washington state." says a recruiter. 

"Yeah, cause it's so stinking cold up there."  declares Mary.  

One thing we are not flexable in is cold weather.  The cool temperature in this part of California is as low as Mary would stand for.  

Already the itch to move is working on both Mary and I, but the slow down-time at the beach has been good for us.  It is the friends and relationships that we have made in the area that has really made all the difference for us.  

"You will have to pay an extra charge for a second bedroom in Hawaii."  says a nurse recruiter.  That's OK.  We suspect several folks will be visiting and the extra room will come to good use.