Good Rock, Bad Rock

Two weeks ago I drove to Coachella, to the Spotlight casino to hear country rocker Dwight Yoakam. I’ve liked him since 1986 when I saw him in New York City. It was then my first foray into country music and I started listening to Yoakam, Randy Travis, the Judds, K T Oslin, Restless Heart and a whole slew of great entertainers. The New York concert was particularly good with Lyle Lovett opening for Yoakam.

Two weeks ago was a different story. It was an 8pm show that didn’t start till 8:15, when Rob Leines took the stage. He fronted a three-piece band on lead guitar, with a bassist and a drummer. They were excellent musicians and I quite enjoyed the first 15 minutes of loud straight-on rock and roll. But of course, I wasn’t there to see him. Probably no one was. And the fact that the sound system ate up all the words he kept telling us he had written was not a plus.

Worse, after those first 15 minutes he hollered, “Y’all ready for Dwight Yoakam? Hell, yeah you are, but first I’m gonna play another 30 minutes.” He seemed to enjoy taunting the audience and making us wait.

And he kept to his word. He played a 45 minute set and then the lights came on for intermission, while the stage crew set up for Dwight Yoakam. 15 minutes later the stage was ready.  Five more minutes and we’re still looking at a fully-set, but musician-less stage.

So I left. I had hesitated all day, worrying whether I should attend or not and now was pretty uncomfortable being near a sea of unmasked music fans. And I was really irritated that at 9:25, an hour and twenty-five minutes after the advertised start time, Dwight Yoakam was nowhere to be seen.

Last night the story was the exact opposite. Different town, different casino, different act. Don Felder, once of the Eagles, was to give an 8pm concert; at 8:05 he took the stage, and played for ninety minutes. He was brilliant; his back-up band were great musicians and also did high justice to the Eagles harmonies; Felder killed it on guitar. He played virtually every Eagles song I might want to hear -- except Desperado (sorry, Tom) -- ending with a fantastic Hotel California -- a song I love and of which I have19 different versions.

It was an excellent concert and I was so impressed by Felder’s work ethic and the respect he  showed his fans. No back-up band none of us had heard of, no interminable waits, just great rock and roll played well. He respected his band mates too, telling us a bit about each one, including who they had played or recorded with over the years. As you may know Felder’s time with the Eagles ended badly, but he had nothing but kind words for them, dedicating one song to the late Glenn Frey. It was a perfect concert.

Alas, it means next time I will again show up at the scheduled start time. Maybe I’ll be lucky again, maybe not. You never know whether you’re gonna get the Yoakam scenario or the Felder phenomenon.

Don Felder Saturday 20 Nov 2021

I'd paste a picture of Dwight Yoakam too, but, oh right, I never saw him.

Live Music! OMG!

 

After twenty months I finally attended a live concert. After twenty months Ransom finally conducted the Redlands (CA) Symphony again. It was so exciting: emotional, relaxing, inspiring and beautiful. The audience was checked for vaccination records and everyone was masked and stayed masked, so, with any luck, it was safe.

Certainly the repertory was safe: Ransom picked favorites that would remind people why they love classical music:

Copland: Fanfare for the Common Man

Mozart: Overture to the Magic Flute

George Walker: Lyric for Strings

Joaquín Rodrigo: Concierto de Aranjuez

Beethoven: Symphony 5

(All the titles above are links to the various pieces but I'm having trouble with Blogger; they might work).

René Izquierdo was the guitar soloist in the Rodrigo and he played wonderfully. We've known René for over twenty years, ever since he was a first-year grad student at the School of Music at Yale. The piece is one of my very favorites and it was a delight to hear it last night. (It ranked #27 in KUSC's recent listener survey of the 250 greatest pieces of classical music).

It was so good to hear the Copland and the Mozart; the Walker, new to me, was sumptuous. And what can one say about the Fifth? Can you hear it too many times? I think not.

Bravo Ransom, and thanks fro bringing live music back to my life.

It ain't cheap

Below is a shot of the car we lease for Ransom; it's the smallest Lexus Hybrid SUV and a nice car. We paid $155 in July to register it in CT for three years — I knew we'd be changing the registration to California soon after but I didn't want to be driving a car cross-country with an expired registration.

So now I've gotten it registered in California, for a price of -- are you sitting down — $587.20 FOR ONE YEAR. In other words, more than ten times the annual fee in Connecticut. Ten times! And I'm not adding in the $60 I had to pay for the smog inspection.

So, yeah, things aren't cheap out here. AAA says the cheapest gas close to me is $4.16 a gallon. In the interest of full disclosure I will point out that in CT we paid personal property taxes every year on whatever cars we leased and that California has no such tax. But, trust me, they get my money in lots of other ways.

I received an offer yesterday to subscribe to the paper edition of the New York Times. $1 a week for the introductory period and then $10 a week after that. That's $520 per year. And guess what. That's for the Sunday paper only! Thank you, no, I'll stick with the digital edition.

All of this is old news, I know. We all complain about how expensive things are, but the car registration was a real shocker. Remember, I'm from the generation that first encountered McDonalds. And when I worked there as a 15 year-old, if you ordered two cheeseburgers, an order of fries and a large soda and gave me a dollar, I'D GIVE YOU 30 CENTS BACK!

(Of course I was working for $1 an hour).

Just another rant from your favorite cynic.

Starting the day with tears

A few days ago I wrote about feeling sad because Ransom had flown back east to teach, his first travel in over a year-and-a-half. I miss him and the dogs miss him, but of course we all know that he'll be home soon.

Not so for the families and friends and, in fact, the entire country as we ponder the events of twenty years ago, September 11, 2001. I started my day by watching TV, something that is extremely rare for me. Being on the west coast the ceremonies were well under way when I tuned in but I still experienced some very powerful moments. The reading of the names is always poignant and I was struck how many of the dead were young. I myself was 52 when the towers fell; many of the victims were quite a bit younger,

I watched the National Geographic's "One Day in America" series about 9/11 over the last few days and that too brought a lot of tears. I am not a TV junky so there were a lot of images I had never seen. Horrifying images. Brutal images.

I also watched a PBS Frontline episode about what the events of that day have meant over the last twenty years as the US has repeatedly gone to war to punish the terrorists or, supposedly, defend our country.

None of this is good news. I am, as the masthead proudly proclaims, a cynic. Frankly I don't see how anyone can be anything but a cynic when you consider the trajectory we've taken over the last twenty years, over the last forty years even. I am proud to be an American, but there is so much room for improvement!

Feeling sad

I took Ransom to the airport today — for the first time in nineteen months! So I am sad. I certainly would not have wished the pandemic on the world, but it did keep us together, 24/7, for over a year and a half. It was on February 5, 2020, that I drove Ransom to Hartford so he could fly out here for a Redlands Symphony gig. He came back on the 17th and we flew together to Alabama for his performance with the Tuscaloosa Symphony. No travel since then, none. Of course many people can tell the same story, but you have to understand how rare that is for us. For thirty-five years Ransom has traveled every month to a concert or recording or teaching gig somewhere. For the first fifteen years or so he would occasionally be gone six weeks at a time. The schedule eased up a bit over time, but there has never been nineteen months without travel — not even close.

The remarkable thing is we got through it all and even thrived. Yeah, there were spats and harsh words now and then, but our relationship is stronger than ever and that's why I miss him. The dogs miss him too.

But there's also good news about his travel: it took me four minutes to get him to the airport. I am not kidding or exaggerating: 4 minutes! Palm Springs is a small town; I'm guessing nothing is further than fifteen minutes away and the airport just happens to be on this side of town. Not too close to be a noise problem; just close enough to get there quickly. And this is the first time that's ever been true. In the city, in the Catskills, in Connecticut airport-transport was always an hour.

There's not much other news to report. We're in a holding pattern as the last of the paperwork for our loan gets sorted out; we're scheduled to close as soon as Ransom gets back next week, but we won't take possession til Oct 10 or so. Then it'll be a rush to get the new tile and bathrooms done and to schedule the furniture delivery from storage once the work is finished. We've extended our lease on this rental, so we have until Nov 14 to move out and in. With any luck we'll be cooking a Thanksgiving turkey in our new home. Anyone want to join us?

Finally, I want to start sharing some of what our life looks like here in Palm Springs. It won't be great because an iPhone just doesn't capture the vastness that is the California desert, but I'll give it a try. First then, a shot of some typical landscaping one sees all over. There's very little grass, but lots of plant life growing through the ubiquitous rocks and pebbles. The shot is taken at the entrance to our community.

So ends week one on California

It's another sunny day in Palm Springs, temperature 106. We're not going anywhere and it's nice and cool in our rental, so we don't care how hot it is outside. The exception is that we have to walk the dogs; before 8am and after 8pm is safe; otherwise, the pavement is too hot and would burn their paws. Grass is the exception around here: there's some two blocks away at the Civic Center but that's not available right now due to Splash House, a two-weekend party for the younger set.

No more news on our new condo. According to our agent we have until the end of this coming week to back out of the deal if we were to find something better. That's possible, but I'm doubting it. We'll be negotiating with the owner over some repairs that need to get done; here's hoping that goes well.

It seems a good time to comment on these last two months. They have been among the most stressful of my life, perhaps THE most stressful. Twenty-five years is a long time to accumulate stuff, and we did a great job of it. I was honestly afraid I would not get the job of clearing it out done. I did, but at the very end I lost a bit of control as the movers packed some things I would rather have had with us. Considering how full the cars were, it's probably all for the best. On the flip side, I'm sure there's a lot of stuff yet to throw away as we downsize from 2800 square feet to 1200!

The drive across country was mostly enjoyable. Ransom's two students, David and Cameron, were absolute delights and I would happily spend another 42 hours in a car with either of them. As for the country itself, it's big and varied; no news there. It's also mostly maskless but we never encountered anyone hostile or unfriendly; in fact, the opposite was true. We did see a lot of crosses and the occasional Confederate flag, but nothing else in-your-face hateful. 

The most beautiful state we drove through was New Mexico, Land of Enchantment as the residents call it.

New Mexico's state train, the Cumbres & Toltec Railroad; I'd come back to ride it!

I've never spent time there and would like to return. The hardest state to drive through was Oklahoma: too many signs with too much verbiage. Through it all Google Maps, who we now refer to as Sheila, did a great job.

On a more global perspective, I despair when I think about the pandemic and how blind so many Americans are to its danger. And then I look at Afghanistan and see Viet Nam all over again. Will we ever learn? And for a final fillip of angst I read in today's New York Times just how endangered the New Jersey coastline is and how stubborn we are when it comes to facing nature's power.

There's good news too though, right?

Right?

Looks like it's really happening

So today's news is that Tuesday's news is real. We really did find a condo to buy on our first day of shopping and the sale seems to be moving ahead. There will be a few things to iron out and I'm guessing at least 25% of what's on the moving truck — in storage actually — won't fit into the new, much smaller digs, but that's all ok. To be expected.

Meanwhile we're enjoying life in the beautiful condo we're renting. It's way bigger than what we're buying, but that's fine. It's also on two floors, so I am in no way jealous. Here are some shots of the rental.

Ransom and the boys in the Master Bedroom

Master Bath

Living Room

Living Room again

And one more time

Kitchen

Kitchen from the other end

Dining Room

Second bedroom, where I've set up an office

Click on the link below and you can take a tour of what we're downsizing into. (You may need to copy and paste the link into your browser; I've been having trouble getting links to, um, link.

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/1150-E-Palm-Canyon-Dr-UNIT-49-Palm-Springs-CA-92264/18028111_zpid/

And I couldn't resist just one more shot of my family

Whoa! On day 1 — really?

Ransom and I met with our real estate agent today — and made an offer on a condo! Yes, it's true! The very first day looking, the fourth place we saw. I'm still in shock. Of course the offer may not be accepted, or we could conceivably find a place we like better, but for right now, the evening of our second day in Palm Springs, we have a plan to move into Rancho La Paz.

As I said, I'm in shock and I'm scared — Ransom is neither. The development is lush and green and the condo has two bedrooms and a small room that was maybe designed as a changing room; it might serve as an office. There's work that needs to be done (new tile, modernize the guest bedroom, but it's actually pretty nice as is.) It's just moving so fast it's leaving me breathless.

Sorry, no pictures yet.

We're here!

We arrived at our temporary condo today around 3pm. It's lovely: thanks and kudos to our hosts, Aamer and Keith. Here's the two of us along with Zack and Louie, followed by a shot of us with Ransom's students, Cameron (left) and David. It was an ok drive from Tempe, but WAY less dramatic than yesterday's. And speaking of yesterday: dinner was fabulous! The Barrio Cafe on 16th Street in Phoenix. We shared a Boca Negra, chips with shrimp and an incredible sauce. After that I had a Cecina, which was a grilled and smoked flank steak with the best beans I've ever tasted, the best carrots I've ever eaten, and homemade sauces and tortillas. Everyone agreed all the food was excellent. Now it's almost time to eat again. Oh boy! And yes, it's hot; 109 was the today's high, but, remember, it's a dry heat.

And here's the whole route: 

Almost done; best drive yet!

 

Our third, and last, La Quinta

We're in Tempe, Arizona, near the Phoenix Airport, after the most beautiful drive yet. Left Grants, NM, at 9:30, our daily start time, and drove 335 miles, getting here at 4pm or so. Much of the last couple hours was through Tonto National Forest and was simply spectacular. I wish I had more pictures to show you but, in truth, iPhone pictures cannot possibly do it justice. Here's one off the web; we didn't have such a dramatic sky, but the terrain in this photo well represents what we saw. There were many spots with hundreds of those majestic cacti and those grand mountains as well.

And here's one I took; not great, but hints at what we saw:

Tonight Ransom has found another TexMex place for us to try. I'll tell you about next time. In the morning one final five hour push to Palm Springs.

An excellent day . . . mostly

We're in Grants, New Mexico, having just had some excellent ribs at the Route 66 Junkyard Brewery. It's a working junkyard that offers food smoked on the premises and served on tables that were once car hoods; we sat on car seats. Certainly a unique spot. Here's a picture of Ransom and David finishing up, and a shot of one of the many signs we saw touting the iconic highway (does it get any more American than Route 66?)

The drive was an excellent one, shorter than either of the last two days and not once marred by construction slowdowns. The views were often stunning: buttes and mesas and vistas for miles. The next photo is from the side of our motel — notice the colors — a Quality Inn with an oversize room (suite, really). Like every other place we stayed the pool, if there was one, was not open, a pandemic casualty I assume. David was sad.

        Here's a bit about Grants, New Mexico.                      

The only sour note today was that for an hour or so I thought I had lost my wallet. I canceled several credit cards as well as my checking account debit card — all of which took a looong time on a cell phone — only to eventually find the wallet and feel like a fool. Oh well, better a fool than a man without a driver's license, Medicare card, or any kind of credit. Senility is a pain in the ass.

Finally, apologies for the look of this post. In the time I was away from blogging things have changed and I haven't sorted out how to make text flow around pictures. Anyone with suggestions, fire away.

The large and short of it

This is going to be as short as Texas is large: we are in Amarillo and just had some excellent Tex-Mex food; more than half of mine is in the refrigerator for tomorrow's breakfast —everything's big in Texas. The drive was the longest of the whole trip but went remarkably smoothly, from Missouri through Oklahoma and into Texas. A memorable moment was passing the turnoff to Bartlesville, where Ransom ran the OK Mozart festival for twenty years.

Now it's bedtime and tomorrow a much shorter drive to New Mexico.

That's it.

Finished Day 3: half way there

We're at another La Quinta, this one in Springfield, Missouri. Compared to the first two days, this drive was easy; we arrived at 4pm. Ransom's napping and I'm writing, paying bills and checking e-mail. Later we'll go out to dinner and get to bed early, I hope, for tomorrow is the longest drive of the trip, to Amarillo TX, 545 miles.

Some people have asked, "Have you seen X?" or, "Will you visit Y?" Unfortunately, the answer is no; we are rather like truck drivers trying to get across the country safely, but as fast as we can. Side trips are out of the question and, except for lunch and and pee breaks, for both the two and four-legged travelers, there is no stopping.

But we did get lucky today. Our route took us through St. Louis and I said to David as we approached the city, "I wonder if we'll see the arch." Well, the answer was a resounding yes, as Interstate 44 goes over the Mississippi River and right past the arch. It was quite a site, which the picture below only hints at.

Heading west, Day 2

Settling in for some sleep at La Quinta, Terre Haute, Indiana. Today was another longer-than-I-hoped driving day, but we got here at 7pm, an hour fifteen earlier than yesterday's drive. This time I shared the car with Cameron and found him just as enjoyable a companion as David was yesterday. We talked most of the way, with one break for music: I played him Blood, Sweat and Tears Child Is Father to the Man and, I'm happy to say, he loved it. You likely know the album; it's been in my Top 10 ever since it was released fifty-three years ago. Please check it out if you don't know it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7XvU-26A_s&list=PL8a8cutYP7fr8Cf7e3TBEECAp7RCrCp02

Within spitting distance of the hotel we found an excellent BBQ place and stuffed ourselves with chicken, brisket, ribs, burnt ends, potato salad, and cole slaw. Really, really good food and a great way to end the day. Ransom's now sharing a bottle of wine with the boys while I write this and get ready to sleep.

My friend Sally wrinkled her nose at the news we're at La Quinta. I don't understand that; it's long been a favorite of mine. Great rooms (see pics) and the best included breakfast out there. I wish we were at LQ every night.

Tomorrow: Springfield, MO, 488 miles from here.

Day 1

We're in Youngstown, Ohio, after a much-longer-than-expected drive from CT. There's not too much to say really, except that we have WAY too much stuff and it's really hard to know where any one specific thing is. The two dogs and their mattress pretty much fill up the Subaru, so everything we need for the next two months is in the Lexus; it is the smallest car they make, so there's really very little room. Each of the cars therefore is carrying a luggage bag on the roof and keeping those organized is really hard.

The route took us down 95 to 287, over the Tappan Zee Bridge (née the Mario M. Cuomo Bridge), into New Jersey and then all the way across Pennsylvania to Youngstown. Some beautiful scenery but way too many trucks.

David shared the driving in my car and we enjoyed a relaxed, comfortable conversation. Zack, our 7-year old Lab mix was far from comfortable until we stopped and gave him some anti-anxiety meds — I know, like father like son. We got here at 8:15 and Ransom took the boys to dinner while I babysat the four-legged boys. Tomorrow is not quite as long a drive, but we have to work on organizing the car better. I found the espresso maker for the morning, but no coffee yet.

And here is our luxury country villa:

Final thoughts

It's late morning on Sunday, August 1; by this time tomorrow we should be rolling down the highway toward Pennsylvania and our first stop in Youngstown, OH. After that we stay in Terre Haute IN, Springfield MO, Amarillo TX, Grants NM, Phoenix AZ and then on to Palm Springs. The longest drive is Missouri to Texas, 545 miles; the rest are quite a bit shorter and even 545 is not a huge distance to cover with two drivers per car. (Have I already mentioned we're taking two of Ransom's students with us to share the driving?)

Some random thoughts on this last full day in Connecticut:

It was almost exactly 30 years ago we moved to CT. That's FAR LONGER than I've ever lived anywhere before. Being an Army family we moved around a lot and though I ended up in Richmond, VA, several times for a total of almost 17 years, the time in CT sets a record.

I've loved living in CT, and, until the last few years, have even loved the winters.

I've loved our house but HATE the stairs.

I will miss the proximity to New York and the opera, classical music and Broadway shows that NY represents.

I have a small and select group of friends whom I will miss very much.

I will miss living near my brother Raymond. We struggled a long time to get to a good place but we got there years ago and I am sad to lose the proximity.

I'm looking forward to the road trip. This will be the fifth time I've crossed the country by car and though we won't have time to make many extra stops, I know we'll see a lot and grasp once again the enormity of our country. (The other four trips were with my Dad at the wheel and in truth it was three and-a-half since one time we took a train from LA to Chicago before continuing to the east coast by car).

I'm worried about the resurgence of the virus and wonder whether we'll find outdoor dining everywhere we go or will be forced to eat takeout in the hotel room.

I'm sad that our country is so divided and that so many people are choosing not to get vaccinated. Driving the length of the country during a pandemic could be dangerous.

I'm looking forward to living in Palm Springs. First though we have to find a condo to buy and then unpack all of our (too much) stuff, a step that will be difficult.

I love my husband very much and look forward to this new part of our 35 year adventure. I'm glad we have Zack and Louie with us and I hope they will adjust quickly and easily. (As I write these words they are resting, one on the bed, one in his crate, while Ransom practices flute — it's a familiar and heart warming scene.

To my friends in CT and on the East Coast: this is not goodbye, but, rather, see you in a new place next time. Here, there or wherever. Be well, and remember the good times. I sure do.

RW, Zack and Louis resting yesterday at the hotel

It's done

Ransom and I are no longer Connecticut homeowners. This morning we met the new owners for a final walk-through of the house, answered a few questions they had, wished them well and hugged them goodbye. We didn't go to the closing after that, taking our lawyer's advice that there was no need; we signed papers in his office yesterday.

So by noon we were all done — and done in. I have never been so exhausted in my life. The last two weeks have been physically grueling. The six weeks before that were emotionally hard. But it's done. The "I can't do this/Yes, I can" debate has been resolved. I did it. We did it. Ransom also worked hard to make this all happen, as did my friend Leigh, to whom I will be forever indebted for the hours she put in helping me trash or donate stuff.

I tell you again, dear readers, start planning for your next move today. Declutter your life. Set aside an hour or two once a week to work on this project — you will be grateful when it comes time to actually move.

I composed a post yesterday that I was unable to put up — technical glitz. It described the hours it took the movers to make it all happen (13!); the amazement I felt at their ability to work so hard and so fast for so long; the sometimes four-a-day runs I made to the dump, or, in PC speak, the Transfer Station; the ache my knees felt from the hundreds of times I had to climb those g** d*** stairs to the basement or second floor — oh praise be thee, god of one-floor condos; help us find one of your creations soon.

It's been a hard two months but I am now looking forward to two days relaxing here in our luxurious Hampton Inn suite (ha!) and then heading west on Monday to glorious Palm Springs. I'll write again soon when there's something new to tell you.

Two views of the empty living room:

Suffering from TMS

So it's somehow a week later and I am just getting back to this saga. Do not think for a moment I've been slouching. Quite the contrary, I have been busting my butt, hurting my back, feet and knees and sweating through every day, worrying about getting everything done. Me worry? You're damn right!

I'm actually no longer fearful I won't get everything done. I'm 98% there. What keeps me up nights is wondering whether the moving company we hired is going to show up. They told us they'd be here tomorrow, July 27, to pack up the kitchen and all the Fiesta ware, Russell Wright, fancy china, framed art and pictures, etc.. I've pretty much packed everything else.

Only now they say, "no, we never said that. We'll do the packing and the moving in one day and you're scheduled for the 27th, with the 28th as a backup." They also said they would confirm the exact day and time twenty-fours prior.

Well, we haven't heard from them and are left wondering what happens next. I doubt they will be here tomorrow. That's ok with me really because I can finish the remaining 2%, load the cars and head off to the Hampton Inn where we'll be staying the next six nights. But I sure would like to know they are really coming on the 28th!

But this is boring. Let me talk a bit about the back story I mentioned a week ago.

This move has been hard. I mean, HARD! Everyone knows that moving ain't easy and everyone seems to agree we all have too much stuff (TMS). I strongly urge anyone reading these words to start now, today, decluttering your life. When you let it go, as we did, for twenty-five years and then find yourself with only two months to clean it all up — well, the pressure is enormous. As is the amount of physical labor.

Anxiety really is a sleep killer. Two weeks into this project I was waking up just about every morning at 4 or 5am and having a real hard time getting back to sleep. I'd lie there worrying about everything that had to be done. I'd have thoughts like "I can't do this; I just can't". It was literally debilitating.

I called my doctor and he had a solution: a wonderful drug named Temazepam. It helped me sleep longer but mainly it took the edge off my fears. I was still waking up and worrying about the task, but the worrying had a more intellectual basis to it. I wasn't so emotionally involved anymore. I started saying "I can do this; I WILL do this."

And you know what? I will. It's happening. Tomorrow we leave this house. A week from today we'll be on the road. A week after that we'll be getting to know our temporary digs and starting the hunt for a permanent home. A year from today all this anxiety and back pain and stress will be forgotten.

But trust me, it would have all been easier if I had started this process a year ago, or ten years ago. Why do we keep something for twenty years and then throw it away? It makes no sense. Throw it away today. Now.

Keep to the golden rule: if you haven't touched something in two years, you don't need it. Really. You don't.

Who, what, when, where, why, how?

I learned in high school that a good story or report answers the five Ws (and one H). Let's see if I can apply that lesson to this moving-to-California tale.

"Who" is likely the easiest: me and Ransom, Zack and Louie. For those with whom I haven't been in touch recently, Zack, in the first picture, is our 90 pound, 7 year-old Lab mix who we rescued from South Carolina by way of the New Rochelle Animal Shelter. Louie was abandoned at the kennel we use when both his owners took ill and could no longer provide for him. He's four years old now and comes in at 35 pounds. Ransom and I are a bit older and our weight does not need to be discussed.

"What" I already answered yesterday. We have sold our Connecticut house of 25 years and are moving to Palm Springs, CA. We have a rental lined up that we can use until Nov. 1; with any luck that will be plenty of time to find and buy a new home. We're looking for a one story condo: less knee pain and fewer fix-it issues.

"When" would be now. We've had two months to clean out the house and, let me tell you, it's been incredibly stressful. Everyone I know agrees: we all have too much stuff. And what living here all these years has taught me is that the more space we have the more stuff we will accumulate to fill that space. "Nature abhors a vacuum," remember? The two months is almost up and we will be ready. Again, closing is on July 30.

"Where"? Woodbridge, CT, to Palm Springs, CA: 2,778 miles.

"Why"? Ok, this is a big one. To start with, we've both come to hate winter. Ransom got there first — after all, he's from the deep South (Alabama) — but I followed along pretty quickly. Once your bones are too brittle to allow skiing and once it gets too hard to enjoy long walks in the woods, trudging through the snow, well, winter loses a lot of its charm. Another thing that's lost charm is the two flights of stairs I navigate every day, several times a day. After three surgeries my right knee makes itself felt painfully and constantly.

Then there's this house itself. We have truly loved it and think it's a great house but, truth be told, houses really are money pits and time-eaters and we're just not good at being homeowners. We don't do the regular maintenance we should and things break or go wrong and, well, we're tired of it. And this particular house is too damn big: 2700 square feet for just the two of us? Way too big!

Another reason to move is to be closer to Ransom's other job: Music Director of the Redlands (CA) Symphony. He's been flying out there six or seven times a year — until the pandemic at least — and we decided he could just as easily live out there and fly to Yale as need be. (Yes, he's keeping that job). I'm retired and so there's no work for me to be close to. I will admit I might miss the proximity of New York and all the opera, theatre and concerts I've gone to, but when will I feel comfortable doing that again? It may well be that my hundred events a year schedule is a thing of the past, killed by the Corona virus.

And finally, we really like Palm Springs. Ransom's been there many times, me only twice, but both of us love the vibe, love the mid-century aesthetic, enjoy the hipness and appreciate the casual attitude.

That leaves "How?" On August 2 I'll get behind the wheel of my Subaru Impreza, with Zack and Louie on their favorite dog beds in the back, and head west. With me will be either David or Cameron, Ransom's two students. In the Lexus will be Ransom and whoever's not with me, and all our stuff: suitcases, computers, coffee maker and everything else we'll need for the next however many weeks. Our furniture — and over 100 boxes of sheet music! — will have left Woodbridge on July 28, heading into storage until we're ready for it. Note: most of that music is being donated to the University of Redlands, but there's probably another 100 or so boxes of "stuff." We are no doubt taking too much; what will be jettisoned will be decided by the size of the condo. Trust me, it will NOT be 2700 square feet!

So that's the story, or at least the front end of the story. There's a back story to get into, maybe tomorrow. I'll likely title that part of the tale Anxiety is a Sleep Killer.

Ch-ch-changes, says David Bowie

It's been over two years since I've posted to this blog. Because I had nothing left to say? No, probably not; if you know me you know I have an opinion on just about everything. Because I was too depressed by the state of America two years ago? Yeah, that's a good bet, but in my little corner of the country things were actually going well. Because the pandemic scared the crap out of me and I didn't want to verbalize those fears? Yeah, that's true too.

But it's not really the main reason.

I think I just got tired, and lazy. And being an ex-Catholic I feel guilt very easily; when I didn't publish it bothered me. Then, like many of us, once I break a good habit, it's hard to get started again — I'm looking at you running shoes and exercise bikes.

So I was lazy and I got out of the habit and kept my mouth shut (or, my fingers still).

My brother suggested the other night that I find a way to keep my friends and family apprised of the momentous changes coming; he said the blog would work, or I could just start daily emails. I'm going to try the blog.

And what is this big change? Most of you already know: Ransom and I are leaving our CT house, pictured here, and moving to California, specifically, to Palm Springs. I will update this blog throughout the process; the schedule is July 27 the movers arrive to pack what I haven't; the next day they load the truck; on the 29th we have a cleaning crew to make the house as acceptable as possible. Closing is on the 30th and then we head west on the second of August. We're taking two of Ransom's students with us to share the drive — and, in case you're wondering, it's their schedule that's keeping us from leaving right after the closing.

We plan on taking a week to get there, with no hugely long drives along the way. But we will be on a schedule, having already booked all the hotels we need, due to having the dogs with us.

So that's the summary. Next time: what's happened so far, what's left to do, who are the buyers and the big question: will I survive this most-stressful-event EVER?!