Oh what a Day

[gial 2]

After Kamikaze, I went over to my "other house" (the almost-ex lives there, but is out of town for a week so I am house sitting my own house ) and spent a great afternoon working in the yard and just enjoying the day. Low 80's and almost no mosquitos (they are usually rampant here by July) Sitting on the porch, looking out at the woods, sipping a cold one (H2O unfortunately as Im out of the suds and MN is dry Sundays). Watching the hawks circle looking for mice and voles; listening to the cardinals and various other birds; feeling the breeze and hearing it rustle the oaks and elm trees. I am soooo relaxed.

 

Man, I love it here.

[Funkilicious 1]

Sounds like a great getaway Gial, any chance you reclaiming it?

[gial 2]

Yes, it is possible. I don't think she likes it as much as I do, so I may end up there in a couple years or so. I love the woods - 5 acres arond the house; nary a neighbor in sight except when the leaves are down in winter - you can see a light far away.

[Schot 407]

That does sound like a great get away. So calm, so peaceful. I can almost be there myself.

[Arilaftia 0]

Oh it sounds wonderful! My kinda place with no other people, just the quiet whispers of nature

(Although sometimes foxes do get a little loud)

I hope you are able to keep it, it sounds like the most soul calming place to be.

[Silearth 6]

I often think that I was born in the wrong part of the country--Los Angeles, CA. As long as I had an internet connection, I would love to live in a place like that.

Heck, if I had that, I would be on the internet less.

 

The view outside my window is much different.

[gial 2]

It's not too late Sil - my family (wife & kids and I) left LA for Minnesota when I was 37. Been here since 1991. We lived in West LA, Long Beach and then 1000 Oaks while there. We decided when the kids were 7 and 8 that So Cal was not family friendly and jumped ship. Never regretted it, although the kids still hate winter. (Daughter, now an adult on her own is back in San Diego area.)

 

And nowadays, you can get highspeed internet almost anywhere.

[gogoblender 3,071]

Life IS grand. You know, it's rare times when we get to "breathe" I love those moments. Time slows down, and everying just looks different. Getting away to places like you just did Gial, is like Matrix Moments, where it seems like you can just see more than we ever could in normal time.

heh, I hope I'm making sense. I know for me, this "breathing" perspective can happen at really interesting moments. All of a sudden I seen "worth" and get to be really appreciative of my place in events, and with people.

 

Sooooooooo relaxed were you huh?

 

Ayup...I need a good beach day soon...can hardly wait to make that getaway myself.

 

 

gogo

[Silearth 6]

It's not too late Sil - my family (wife & kids and I) left LA for Minnesota when I was 37. Been here since 1991. We lived in West LA, Long Beach and then 1000 Oaks while there. We decided when the kids were 7 and 8 that So Cal was not family friendly and jumped ship. Never regretted it, although the kids still hate winter. (Daughter, now an adult on her own is back in San Diego area.)

 

And nowadays, you can get highspeed internet almost anywhere.

Our problem is that we are on different beats. The perfect time would have been after my layoff when I was still collecting my severance package. Sometimes you just have to take a chance. The wife sudden got the bug to move after my present company had extended an offer. But one of these days....

And you are right, So Cal is not the place to raise children. I live in Fontana, CA. When I mention that I live in the Southridge area of the city I usually get a lot of sympathy. Never knew what that was all about, but my neighborhood has changed for the worse in the last few weeks.

Some of my neighbors won't let their kids play outside.

[Funkilicious 1]

Some of my neighbors won't let their kids play outside.

 

That would have to be the saddest situation for a family, the family home turns into a fortress.

 

My hubby and I were just discussing the other day on what we did as kids and how we were allowed out all day as long as we were home by the time street lights were turned on. And even in summer, after dinner it was always hide and seek with the kids in the street until the parents yelled out time to come in.

 

BUT we said if we had kids, there would be no way on earth we would allow them out all day and definitely not out in the dark.

 

Times have changed all over the world but what do you put it down to....the media, movies with more explicit and graphic scenes, fetish's that are now common place on the net, we are just not stunned anymore but now hide in isolation in our homes because we now know what is out there.

[gial 2]

Our problem is that we are on different beats. The perfect time would have been after my layoff when I was still collecting my severance package.

I hear you. We started looking almost 2 years before we actually moved, and that was finally precipitated by an employment change too. The luck of the draw I guess. My LA employer went belly up and a company in Minnesota bought them and hired me.

[myles 2]

I'm not a parent yet (and for now I hope it stays that way ), so I suppose I don't understand what its like.

 

But I really think the world is not going to heck as some people believe.

 

The things that parents afraid of are the same things as ever, drugs, sex, guns, etc. What changed is the publicity of it that's all. Wars seem more vivid because of CNN, but war itself has not changed at all.

 

I hope we all realize that and not turn our kids into prisoners inside their home. That's more scary than all those things parents feared. And face it, such imprisonments will only backfire, drive them away or depress them. All you can do is give them the best guidances, and be a model as best as you can. Then hope for the best.

 

All kids will get close to one thing or another, sooner or later. They will decide for themselves what they want, and what they don't want. It might seem impassive, but that's how we all operate.

[erialc 2]

Gial you have a wonderful hidey hole there! reminds me of my 'other' place. (soon to be bought out by the ex, can't afford to buy him out) but we had very few neighbours and just over 140 ft of back garden full of trees and cool places for the kids to go play hide n seek or go on a bug hunt. Also we had a great trapeze rig out there and the favorite game was to see who could swing the highest and kick the top branches of the trees. ( lol yes they were harnessed and also still addicted to it)

 

Which leads me to what you said Sil , Funki and Gial, when my ex and I split I ended up living somewhere I would not have normally chosen LOL ok never have chosen but life being life and lawyers still talking *sigh* LOL here we are. I wouldn't dare let my kids go out exploring round here to far alone at all they just aren't street wise enough (gladly) even thought they grew up predominantly on festival sites and circus places they aren't city wise. Factor that into it all with the rural area we had a house they are just not that clued up. But hey we have a car and we go off adventuring...and we are all together me n the kids and isn't that what it's about?

 

hehe if I go and think on my childhood we had such a huge amount of freedom, in England and Ireland and like you say Funki we'd all venture in on that last yell, the one that you knew meant NOW! LOL

 

Ahh I waffle on eh