time flies...a year....

loaded with blessings....it's been nearly a year since the move from north to south.  a home of my own again, a roomy sewing space, new church and community connections, new friends and a new climate....best of all being close to my daughter and my dear son-in-law...priceless indeed!  a lot like these little houses--lots of pieces patched together to make a new life.  alas, the management company of my complex is much like other unethical and self-serving landlords....despite being advertised as a no-smoking building, it is a portion of the lease that is not enforced or viewed as important in a building where there are many with vascular illness only worsened by these scofflaws.  have  complained voiced my concern to every government agency i can think of, yet nobody holds HABITATAMERICA accountable for enforcing its own rules...how idiotic is that????  i am disappointed and crestfallen, especially after the south portland experience, but am otherwise quite content and happy, although am certain my recent illness was made worse by the smoke in the building.  who ever thought the 5th floor would be devoid of constant fresh air???  even so,  have sewn a  LOT, both personal and for charity, said goodby to about 20 pounds (always good), tried catfish and crab cakes, rediscovered fried chicken, jettisoned my frigid winter habits, visited battlefields and located new quilty places.  still lots of places to discover!  financially has been uber-challenging and the budget is still tight--i knew it would be--but that only ramped up my creativity and organizational skills into overdrive, and how to squeak out pricey necessities like shoes requires lots of planning and tweaking.  my little part-time paycheck is sorely missed but God has provided for my needs in many ways.  this move was pondered for a long time and spent hours preparing myself mentally for being further away from family and the familiar for something far more important.  it was the right thing to do, reinforced many times over 365 days.  now on to year 2 and more new experiences and adventures....at home in maryland!