I felt like an emigrant today...leaving Florida without Lou and going off alone to California to a new job! My Sicilian relatives, 3 generations ago came over to NYC via Ellis Island to make a new life for themselves. Thank you Lorenzo and Maria Louisa Sagona for braving the unknown back in 1893. They have inspired me to take my 2500 mile trip across our country to Sonoma County to hopefully have a job that can bring us "Home."
We have been floundering in Florida. The economy has turned our machine shop from over active to OMG we gotta find business. Luckily with a few phone calls we were able to invite a few part time customers to bring their full time needs for machining to us. Whew!!
Knowing we want to be back in California motivated me to consider insurance after a 6 years hiatus. I am shocked, really, that I have even considered it. I think having the six year break has given me a renewed sense of energy and purpose. Knowing that Lou is so unhappy in Florida is motivating to me. My Aunt Dot told me a while back that I was an "enabler" well I took that to mean that I need to watch out for that if it gets in the way, but being an enabler for "good" is a good thing right? I can do insurance in my sleep and the confidence that comes with age makes me want to go back to it because I know I will be good at it and I am actually ready again to get in front of people and be that person that solves problems that others can't. Now what is wrong with that, I ask?
Knowing that we will be close to Ben and Jill and Aunt Barbara and Lisa, Robbie, and numerous other cousins makes the effort even more satisfying! Sonoma County is such a gorgeous place and moving there is just plain wonderful!
So today I said goodbye to My Lou and now I am in a Holiday Express in Mobile, Alabama. Watching the Florida/Auburn game on the TV. I started watching it at the lounge on the 17th floor, ate a hamburger and a couple glasses of Chardonnay, passing the time chatting with a group of Delta Airline crew on layover. I am getting more in the relaxed mode now that I am on the road. The last two weeks I have been a tight bundle of nerves. Now that I am "on the road" I feel myself relaxing and enjoying the experience.
The lounge here at the hotel in downtown Mobile has a 180 degree view of the harbor and Navy yard. It was brilliant at sunset. The only thing missing was my Lou to enjoy it with me, but I called him and told him all about it! He is thrilled that I am doing this and it makes it even more exciting for me to have his enthusiasm to keep me going!
I expect to be in Texas tomorrow and was thinking it might be fun to head to Austin. I even might get bold and take myself out country dancing....do they even do that in Texas. I am such a nerd, I don't even know. I have heard lots of nice things about Austin so I may check that out. I am trying to listen to that "still small voice" as I travel. That voice helped me find this hotel today. Coming into downtown I got to see tall columned houses and buildings along Government Avenue. I blew past my turn off for the hotel and had to turn around, but then I got to see all those houses again. The south does have a special charm!
I have a couple of "old" friends that I have been in touch with on FB and email. I will be stopping in Phoenix to see Pam and her family and in San Bernardino to see an old friend from high school. I haven't seen either of them in 15-20 years. It makes the trip all that more exciting to have that to look forward to the last few day of the trip!
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