This is a reflectory post. Hmm, is that word? If it’s not, it should be. Even though some things in my life are not going according to plan (Sailor), I can’t help but be thankful for all the good things I have going for me. First off, I love living in New Jersey. Spring is particularly sweet in this part of the U.S. Everything is green or blooming. Dogwoods, weeping cherry trees, lilacs, azaleas, and the list goes on and on. Gorgeous. Lush. Paradise. From a “girl” who lived the better part of her life in Colorado, New Jersey is an oasis. So far this year our weather station has recorded 15 inches of moisture. I think that’s more than Colorado gets on a yearly basis. We think nothing here of a day-long rain that amounts to an inch of moisture. The vegetation just drinks it all in, like it’s its normal due. Amazing.

Living in New Jersey we are able to enjoy cheaper gas prices than many other states. And HELLO! I don’t have to pump my own gas. Not only is our gas inexpensive in comparison, I don’t have to pump it. I can be a true Jersey Princess sitting in the throne of my car while someone else does the menial work. What’s not to love? [For those of you not in the know; it’s against the law to pump your own gas in New Jersey.]

Our House. Yes, I used a capital letter on purpose. We only had one week to house-hunt and there were not many houses on the market at that time, so our choices were limited. Plus at the time of our move we had seven dogs to take into consideration for the house we would eventually live in. We knew we could not have a house right next to another. Not with seven dogs! Our search at the time was limited to those with a bit more space.

I had seen this particular house online in my MLS search. We dubbed it “the Chateau” since it looked like a French “chateau” style house. I fell in love at first sight. It was slightly above our comfort zone. When we arrived for our “house-hunting” trip our realtor thought it was too far out and therefore didn’t show it to us until the last day. The setting and acreage were perfect. The inside was plain (as we had seen by photos online) but it had “good bones” and we had renovations in mind (they start in a few weeks!). We put an offer on it immediately. Soon it was ours. It welcomed us with open arms right from the start. I love this house. I love my neighborhood. It fits. We even got a pool in the bargain, which neither of us was interested in. Now I wonder what we would do without it. (Pool opening for the year scheduled for this Friday!) The one and only major downside is that our house in Colorado is still for sale two years later. Bummer.

We have wonderful neighbors. Kim and Mark across the street were the first ones to offer up the olive branch. Since then Kim has led me on many interesting capers. She is a treasure for sure. Being Kim-napped has become something I look forward to. Aileen next-door keeps me supplied in fresh eggs. Her chickens lay the most delicious, oddly-shaped eggs around. She joins Kim and myself on many excursions. Luke, down the street, looks after our cats while we go away and makes certain that I see the local sights. He and I have started taking various hikes around the area, which I will be blogging about soon. In Colorado, we hardly saw our neighbors let alone do anything extracurricular with them. It’s all good.

We miss our cabin in the mountains of Colorado. However, our house here in New Jersey bridges that gap in many ways. We have woods surrounding us that teem with wildlife, we can have wood fires in our fireplace (not allowed along the Front Range of Colorado unless you have a house with a wood-burning fireplace prior to a certain year—no new construction after 1991 or so), we can go for hikes in the woods from our house, and a five minute drive gets our canoe in the waters of Green Turtle Pond. I am a country girl at heart, not a city one, so this suits me just fine. Nothing gives me more peace of soul than standing in my back yard listening to the varied bird song, taking in the breeze, and listening to the wind through the trees.

Rick’s job is another good thing. He loves it. Such a change from the last gasps of Hewlett-Packard-turned-Agilent. wow. Such a wonderful company and exciting business that he now gets to go in to each and every day. I am a tad bit envious. They’ve made us part of the family, and for that, Andy; thank you.

We’ll be here for at least another four years which is just fine by me. Like I said before, we miss our cabin in Colorado (and our “cabin neighbors”), but plan to make yearly treks back there to spend some time. Other than that, after spending so many years in Colorado, I really don’t miss much about it. Sure I miss a few friends, but they have basically all gone on with their own lives (at least I don’t hear much from them) and that’s okay too although it’s sad. We’ve grown apart; done different things with our lives. Rick and I have always been renegades—living in foreign countries and learning different cultures (Germany, the Netherlands and France). We like that about ourselves. Our lives have only been enriched by living where we have. Uh, wait a minute ... that made it sound like New Jersey was like living in a foreign country. It’s not; but culturally it IS very different, but in a good way.

Okay, enough blithering on and on from me for now. I can’t promise I won’t blither on again at some point in the future. I hope you will still be willing to listen.

photos: top; my neighbor’s dogwood tree :  dogwood blossom along my street   :  bleeding hearts in my backyard