One year ago, today, I moved into my new house. To say that a lot has happened this year seems like an understatement! In addition to moving from the house where I raised my kids & lived for 21 years, I ended a major relationship & resumed another one. I believe that both were good choices. Resuming my relationship w/ Rick, however, has caused quite a bit of upheaval in how I view my life. I bought this house expecting to be here forever & alone. Now, I suspect that is unlikely. I will probably rethink my location when my younger son graduates from college in 3 years.

Status report on the house, etc.--I was shocked to find that Copake is very isolated! I knew that I was moving close to work & I still like that--a beautiful, relaxing 20-25 minute commute on easy roads. The problem w/ beautiful & relaxing scenery is that there are not enough doctors for the population & that any major stores are some distance away (good food stores are a half-hour away & the closest mall is approx. an hour away). I was somewhat embarrassed that I evidently didn't do enough research to realize those facts. In addition, I still haven't found a church within reasonable driving distance that I want to attend. For me, this is the biggest problem & I haven't discovered the solution to it. Weekend time is at a premium w/ my kids 1 hour North & Rick 1 hour South. By this time, I have finally found adequte medical care, I think, but it has been a struggle. Between moving in July & starting to see Rick again in October, I was laying the framework for making local friends & living w/out a significant other. As soon as Rick came back into the picture, however, I stopped making connections w/ others, because I have very little time. So, I haven't gotten to know my neighbors &, since I don't have a church, I really haven't gotten to know any local people. I feel isolated & that's bad. I have a couple of close friends at work & have needed to impose on them a couple of times when I needed rides, but I'd feel better to have more people in my life. The house itself still needs more work, although I got all of the urgent stuff done quite quickly. There are still things in boxes in the basement that probably won't get unpacked unless I get some shelves constructed down there. I'm not completely happy w/ the set-up of my computer room, the livingroom, or my bedroom in terms of furniture. The house is very small. Perhaps, it is too small. It seemed like the right decision at the time, but I may have overreacted to the large house I previously owned that I couldn't manage by myself. I still like the area. When I've been away somewhere, I start to smile as I see the familiar scenery. It really *is* beautiful--the lakes, fields, & mountains. I own my house without a mortgage & it feels good to finally have some financial stability. My job is getting harder each year & is stressful, but I suspect I won't lose it. I have just completed my 6th year in the district. In 11-12 years, I should be able to retire & actually have enough money to live on! In this past year, I've seen the Patons regulary (They live 20 minutes from me), have visited Guy Wolff (wonderful!), & have firmly established a phone friendship w/ a fellow Mudcatter.

Goals for the future--Make decisions on landscaping (currently, I have crushed rock!), get some exterior painting done, decide how to maximize space/usability of computer room, livingroom, & mistress bedroom. There are things like interior painting, replacing the floor covering in the kitchen & the wall-to-wall carpeting that I may never get to, although it might be nice.

Am I glad I moved here? Yes & no. I'm glad I left the previous house. Overall, this one works better for me. I've discovered, however (duh!) that no house/location is perfect. This is the 1st one I chose for just me & that was satisfying. I find that I have no problems w/ living alone for the 1st time in my life. I may have made some mistakes. Let's hope I learn from them. Perhaps I'll choose another home in the future & do better. For now, all things considered, I'm pretty content.

Family update--My older son graduated from college & has his 1st job, 1st car, & 1st apartment about an hour from me. My younger son has completed his 1st year of college. All good!

Thanks for all of your support. Moving here turned out to be a severe & unexpected culture shock for a suburban girl. Your help is really appreciated!

love,

Barbara