At first I was wondering what exactly to write about. We're making slow but steady progress on the financial aspect of downsizing. But I would rather go somewhere else with this blog. And, where I'd like to take you is to a place of home sweet home.
I have really underestimated this whole living on the ground thing. Being high atop the 19th floor, the view was gorgeous – you could see for countless miles. You looked down upon the neighborhood around you - watching this person walk their dog, or those people floating in the pool. But, that's just thing – you're looking down. And, aside from causing a slight vertigo effect, it can leave a person feeling very far removed.
So, that takes us to today….and what we are now – CONNECTED! Can I just tell you all that porches are a phenomenal mechanism for socialization (wow, I think that made me sound smarter than I actually am). And ours is beautiful. Here it is, by the way, in all its glory.
Sure, we had some plants out on our balcony up in the sky – but, they never flourished like they do here on Molino. And, I think it's more than the sunshine that's responsible.
My husband has a relaxation ritual that involves enjoying a cigar on the porch, listening to the Dodger game and saying hello to all the neighbors as they walk by with their dogs or kids. Just the other night, my upstairs neighbor and her daughter invited me to join them on the shared porch for a glass of vino (which turned into several) as we enjoyed the first warm summer evening. We lived in the Galaxy for almost two years and never had the connections we have here.
While I used to say that coming home was like being on vacation – I can now say that I am truly happy when I come home. There is a sense of comfort and belonging-ness that I didn't get before. So, I don't really need to be on vacation from it. And, while I have to put up with a smaller space and the noises of living in an apartment – I wouldn’t want to go back to being unconnected.
