Moving along

I think I have a tapeworm.  I am always hungry.  And for the first time in many years my BMI is in the “good” range.  I hope that doesn’t mean I’m dying.  You know how they always ask on medical questionnaires if you “lost any weight lately”?  It’s the only time ever you don’t want to admit you’ve lost weight.  Even though it’s your number 1 goal in life, you don’t want any doctor’s office to ruin it for you.  But I do find myself wondering why I’m not gaining more with the amount I eat.  Perhaps all the steps (actual stairs) I walk every day is helping!  It’s over 60 stairs to get to the subway platform. I walk them every day!  Brenda thought I should walk 60 floors up to my desk but that’s just crazy talk.

So here I am.  Literally months since my last blog.  Other than always hungry, I’m always cold.  I mean it might be nice weather for an afternoon- I can think of one afternoon that I exclaimed to my son, when we were shopping after lunch (I know how cool is that? Lunch with my son..) anyway I said “this is really nice” – and I meant it.  There may have been another day here and there but I would say 95% of the time I’m freezing. Mostly I try and power through the chilled-to-my bones feeling and think of all that I’m grateful for.

I am grateful that I live close to my boys.  We have monthly FAM breakfast with each of us taking a turn hosting.  My first turn was last Sunday.  I took them out to a really good restaurant in the Strip District because I have yet to have my own home.  It was actually one of those nice warmish days.  Jimmy and I walked to the restaurant from his apartment and met Zach and Rachel who were not real happy because they had to park so far away.  It’s not easy to park in the Strip even on a Sunday.  Anyway, I was feeling excited in anticipation because as of June 1, I will be living in the city area in a place called Mt. Washington.  This is the view from the end of the street where I am moving: https://www.google.com/maps/place/425+Augusta+St,+Pittsburgh,+PA+15211/@40.4397307,-80.021942,3a,75y,101.39h,91.71t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sNbV1aY4-vIVupoKfD57Law!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!4m5!3m4!1s0x8834f6bb4047628d:0x51ac1699b4b706b5!8m2!3d40.4353554!4d-80.0239145

This view is 2 blocks from my new little home.  I will walk to this view (Grandview Avenue) every morning to catch the bus.  Maybe I’ll catch the bus. Or I’ll walk a little further up the street to catch the incline that goes down the hill and then either walk the rest of the way or transfer to another bus.  I believe my commute will be cut in half.  I am VERY excited about this move.  If you are not familiar with what an Incline is – it is a cable car that goes straight up the hill – see here: https://www.google.com/maps/uv?hl=en&pb=!1s0x8834f6af9e6ab935%3A0xe871d2bbc2032b83!2m22!2m2!1i80!2i80!3m1!2i20!16m16!1b1!2m2!1m1!1e1!2m2!1m1!1e3!2m2!1m1!1e5!2m2!1m1!1e4!2m2!1m1!1e6!3m1!7e115!4shttps%3A%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipPnKw0sXC1zt8rnUJZMWgPIsrqcOg7h1aa7mpVR%3Dw240-h160-k-no!5sduquesne%20incline%20-%20Google%20Search!15sCAQ&imagekey=!1e10!2sAF1QipPnKw0sXC1zt8rnUJZMWgPIsrqcOg7h1aa7mpVR&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjQ25ehmMjhAhXtc98KHQKPAqwQoiowIHoECAsQBg

It is not just a tourist attraction, it is actually a form of commuter transportation. Kinda really really cool.

My beach pictures have been replaced with the daily pictures I take from my window at work.  They mostly look the same (grey)– I’m waiting for the green (trees, grass?) which is starting to pop out…slowly.

The views from my building are incredible. I look out all day.  I forget there are other views from other sides of the building so writing this blog is making me get up and walk to those other vantage points to show you all the views.  It’s not the beach view but it is just as beautiful in a very different way.

This is the view from my desk – Jimmy’s apartment is on the right (circled) – Pittsburgh Pirates stadium in the middle and the Pittsburgh Steelers stadium to the left

Circled in this one is where I will be moving to on Mt Washington

our neighbor sky scraper

Zachary lives where circled

Where the Pittsburgh Penguins play

The “Strip”

We have closed on Mom’s house in Virginia. That chapter (and house) is closed.  Well almost closed.  We still own two acres that we’re just going to hang onto for awhile.  It was sad but also happy as the neighbors all like the new owner who seems very happy with the house and garden!  That makes us all happy.  And although I’ll miss my relators I am ready to put that behind me.

My little Mt. Washington house where I am moving to is not in my hometown.  One day after I got off the bus (in Sewickley – home town – where I am staying with Diane) I decided I’m kinda over this place.  I’ve been moving on for so many years (5) that going back just didn’t feel right.  Mt. Washington location is close to both boys and close to work.  It feels more like where I should be.  I told the boys it’s time to look for “grandmas” home – and although I am not a grandma yet, I am hopeful that someday I will be and well those kids have to have a stable grandma’s home where I can collect more stuff for those grandbabies to have memories of.  I am not adverse to having TWO grandma homes – one in Mt. Washington and one in Florida 😊 but for now I’ll rent in Mt. Washington for a year and see if that’s where we think I should settle.  Could all change again tomorrow but that’s where my head is at today.

I am also grateful for my friend Diane who has been wonderful letting me camp out in her home and put up with me until I found the right place.  She said 6 months and she was right! Well actually it’ll be 4 months total.  That’s a long time to let someone take over your spare room.  I am happy to move on but I’ll miss having a friend as well.  I was talking to my mom the other day about even though it’s so nice I really miss my stuff in storage, and by my stuff I just mean like my calendar, or my mirror, or a certain face cream, and even Di’s bday card that I bought last year is in storage and I won’t be able to get to it until next year’s bday (her bday is May 5). Just little stuff that you miss.  I was saying to my mom “until you’ve experienced not having your own place you don’t really understand how it feels” and then we both started laughing as we looked around the room she lives out of now at my sisters.  She absolutely gets it. She went from a 3 story house filled with treasures to one room. ONE room. And even though she has everything she needs, as do I, there are things you don’t need that you just miss.  And in her case, even when you don’t see them you know things are there when you do need them.

Mom is doing good I suppose.  She’s not really a complainer. Well, that’s not totally true.  She complains about the government and politics but not about herself. My sister and niece (mostly my sister) bring her fresh hot coffee every morning, bring her breakfast, take her for walks, make her dinner and do her laundry.  Quite a different life she leads now.  She used to spend her days sitting on her porch in Virginia in the woods.  Now she sits in her room near the window.  She doesn’t like the cold and it’s much colder here than Virginia – but her room is really really warm so that’s good. She doesn’t want to move out.  She just wants to move on.  There’s been a couple days/weeks when I think “this is it” – and then she bounces back. I’m telling you the saying “blessed with a long life” is a misnomer. At least in some cases.  She just talked to her friend yesterday who is traveling the country (and maybe Europe) at 90 years old.  Her other best friend just got back from Paris with her granddaughter – she’s also 91.  Some people are blessed, but not all.

As for work – in addition to the view – I like it!  It’s a pace that is realistic (compared to that last job) – even while I’m filling in for Kathy who just left for a position closer to home, so in essence two positions again, but it’s STILL manageable.  And they are already making an offer to another person to fill Kathy’s job less than a month later.  I am very very grateful that I don’t go home questioning my sanity every day. My friend Robin, in Florida, told me that I just had to let it go…let the resentment I felt towards Stetson go – this was last October while I was still there.  It’s harder to let go than one might think.  There is quite a bit I miss there (as you can imagine) but that job is not one of them.

I am still having fashion dilemmas.  Five years ago people were still wearing panty hose – although I like the no panty hose rule and believe me I don’t even think they sell panty hose in Florida – but us “old” people I don’t know if we should be going without panty hose and without suntan legs.  It is almost appalling to me seeing all these young people going bare legged – white – and it’s freaking cold out there.  I can’t wrap my head around it and I’m not sure what to do.  I have dresses and skirts and I’m just stuck as to how to wear them.  Tights are a good option but I’m thinking no tights when it’s over 50 degrees. And now most days it’s over 50.  I spend an awful lot of time on my commute checking out what people are wearing.  Mostly pants in my age bracket.  Honestly, as much as I hate panty hose I think if I get the high end ones it’s better to wear those than none until I bronze up. Florida wear is much preferable to this. I’m not complaining, I’m just making an observation.

In summary, I have always hated the cold.  To the point where I cry.  There really are no words that describe how sad being cold makes me. BUT being back with the family, my boys, my mom, the babies, and having a bunch of friends and social obligations, well it gets me through. It does more than gets me through – it’s really great being back – and soon I’ll be walking outside with my Florida clothes on and I’ll be happy all over.  Then I’ll start dreaming about how I can have TWO homes.  I’ll put those snowbird dreams on my next vision board!

xoxoxox

Coming soon:  an internet tour of my new Mt. Washington digs.  Look for it mid June ish…once I get all my new furniture…again.  😊