First post

I recently read the blog of an old friend from high school and found it fascinating to get a peek into her everyday life over 25 years after we graduated. I thought it was time for me to start my own. I'm sure there are people who will read it and have nothing better to do than criticize me (and you know who you are) but life is too short to worry about the opinions of those bitter, old people. Okay, enough of that. :-)

 Tonight was a night that made me question why I live here. I had a nasty commute home that took twice as long as it usually does. Part of I-81 was closed due to two tractor trailer accidents and I had to slip and slide in the bumper to bumper traffic that crawled along Castle Creek Road. Thank God there was a kind soul behind me who didn't tailgate. I fishtailed my way up the hill to the lake and was so grateful to be home. I couldn't get the bottle of Cabernet uncorked fast enough and managed to grab a quick bite before Todd brought the girls home. 

 I do love living here most of the time. Sure, there's a lack of culture and I'm not real crazy about the typical Whitney Point resident but I have a great apartment with great neighbors. It also gives me a chance to save some money as the livin' is cheap here. There will come a day, very soon, that my credit card will be paid off and I will be in a good place financially. I dream about what I will do when that day comes....plan a trip to Disney for Bob, the girls and myself....buy nice living room furniture (furniture that wasn't given to me by a resident who "moved out" of Castle Gardens)....start putting money away for the girls' education, etc., etc., etc. As much as I look forward to that day, I have learned to be very happy with very little right now. Collecting material possessions is a shallow, transient pursuit that holds no appeal to me. I am so far removed from most of my peers who want the latest electronic gadget, a huge DVD library with a big screen TV or a fancy car. Okay, I confess...when I'm out of debt I may splurge on an iPod and will probably feed my book addiction but I would prefer to spend my money wisely. 

 So, for now, I take pleasure in the little things life offers my little family. I can walk to the lake to take the kids to the beach or rent a boat or even just take a walk around it on the new walking trail. I can send my kids with two one-dollar bills to the "Egg Man" across the road to get fresh brown eggs that have deep yellow, rich yolks. I can pop in on my fun neighbor downstairs to watch movies, drink rum and laugh like crazy. The village does have one fantastic diner and a restaurant with authentic Italian food. I have seen sunsets over the lake like I have never seen before. I am blooming where I am planted and fully living each day as it comes. There may come a day when I think back on this time of my life as a very fond memory. A quote I recently read said, "True affluence is not needing anything." Amen.