I am a born and raised SoCal gal! I was introduced to a wind chill factor in Upstate New York during a January winter. I have never shoveled snow, nor have I missed a day of work due to a blizzard. I have tasted snow in Nebraska, driven through the Rocky Mountains in December, and tobogganed down the icy slopes of our local mountain ranges; but I have always returned to Southern California's winter climate — sometimes during a heat spell.
When we downsized our life recently by leaving a home and moving our possessions into storage, a friend of ours offered his abode in Idaho as a landing place for a new beginning. Two years ago, his wife passed away, so he had used the sale of their Southern California home to purchase a gorgeous mountain cabin northeast of Boise.
I remember reading his email and saying aloud, "Oooh, how sweet! It will never happen, but what a sweet gesture!" It was insanely impractical! They're having an early winter in Idaho and we would be leaving an elevation of 29 whole feet and transporting our family 3906 feet up a snow covered mountain! I am adventurous, curious, and hugely romantic; but even this was a huge stretch, even for me...
It was too late. A seed had been planted. The notion of a life in Idaho had already taken root in my spirit. I was wide open. I awoke with thoughts of Idaho, incubated on it during the day, Googled it, and went to bed discussing it. The irony was we were staying in a condo that was located on — of all streets — Idaho!
A series of confirmations followed. Even the friends and family that I shared this craziness with embraced the move and began to supply their own connections to Idaho. My husband-the-milkman discovered how many dairies thrive in the Boise region. We found out who manufactures the best chocolate milk which in turn led Barry to a milk distributor who has already offered him a job!
My Pampered Chef is portable and my earnings up there will go a lot further than down here. I can also continue to teach voice, pursue my writing, and move deeper into social media.
What's even more amusing is that our friend recently coiffed his long white beard to do his first Santa gig in a Boise mall. So, you might say that we're relocating to Santa's workshop just when things are winding down.
My only disappointment is that I won't be able to decorate this year. After Christmas of 2009, I picked up some wonderful Hallmark ornaments on eBay. My daughter had recently married and her departure left some obvious spaces on my tree. I will have to patiently await my first Idaho Christmas.
TO BE CONTINUED...
