Not Quite Home

Here I am. My new home, Fort Lauderdale Florida. I sit here two blocks from the ocean. I have a job. Bob has a job. We've learned alot about this town, no doubt we will learn more. I can't escape the feeling that I'm not quite home. Will we make it here? Will we love it here? Will we thrive here? I don't know the answers. I will try with all the effort I can muster.
This is a beautiful place. Palm trees, geckos, hotels galore, a new part of this country to call home. But it's not yet. After work, I drive to my apartment and I am in awe. There's the ocean. There are tourists enjoying my city. But I don't know this city yet. I've been here 40 days. So I give myself a break. I can afford this. We will make it. I'm a Floridian.
I'm impatient. I just want this to feel like home now. That's not how it works. It takes time. For now, I work when I am scheduled. I do chores when I'm not scheduled. God willing, home comes soon. I'm sure it will.

Cruisin'

I haven't written anything in some time. First and foremost because I am the only one reading this. Second, I've been busy. On the off chance anyone other than me reads this, permit me to say what's up.

There is a UHaul in my driveway. It's a Penske, but just like I call Pepsi "Coke", I call the Penske a Uhaul. So anywho, the Uhaul is there. It's full of everything we own. Furniture and memories are locked safely inside. I'm still in Springfield, Illinois. I've lived here for 15 years give or take. In 4 days, I will be at my new home in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

This is all happening so fast and at the same time, not nearly fast enough. We went to California knowing we would live there. California turned out not to be in the stars. Blame me. Blame anything but know what I do; California is not my home.

We went on a vacation. First was Disney in Orlando. For a hotel guy like me that was a primitive joy. Everything is perfect. Everything is magical. We loved it as we always will. Then came our first, and God willing not last, Bahamas cruise. More in a minute on that. Then we went to Fort Lauderdale. I knew it wasn't going to work out. I knew I would mess it up or something would cause my dream to fizzle out leaving just us in a midwest town we hate.

But the stars aligned. We found a place. We got a lease. And now, sitting here I can hear a clock ticking to my left. In my mind I know it ticks down the few hours remaining of our old life and the hours until our new life is born.

More on Fort Lauderdale in a future post to those of you who probably will never read these words. Right now, my mind is hovering on the Carnival Sensation.

I've never been on a cruise. I had never experienced the open ocean. On October 2, 2011 that all changed. We boarded the awesome Sensation.

So we left Disney and drove to Port Canaveral. That's when we first saw her.

That was what we saw. I parked 20 feet from this picture. What a huge beast. Now comes Customs. Oh, never dealt with border patrol before. Sure, laptop is not in that bag. No, no fruits or vegetables or drugs here. We're done? Then time to check in. Five minutes later, a happy woman who was a cheerleader 30 years ago entertained us while we waited to board. Ten minutes later, we are on the Lido deck. Lunch and beer and time to wait until the cabin (E244) is done.

We walked the ship from Deck 12 to Deck 7. There's the pool. There's the putt-putt. There's the stage. If you know me, you know my next move. I walked on center stage. Only Bob saw me acting like a kid again. Thanks God. That was the first of many times I would giggle. I don't giggle.

Here's the shops. Here's the casino that we won't ever use. And in the background, there is NASA. I remember when NASA meant we were explorers.

The cabin is ready. we walk quickly to see room E244.

I will tell you more but now it's time to wait. I have packing to do tomorrow. I have a new life I need sleep for. So stay tuned. More later.

Now I know what 2011 is the year of
March 8 2010, that's when this picture was taken.

I was getting ready to get on the Amtrak and see California for the first time with my fiance. We were on the train for 2,000 miles ending up in San Francisco, California for our vacation. Then we took the train home and got married.But something happened in California. We realized how boring our home of Springfield, IL is. That's when we first got the idea. Then somehow that I don't fully understand, we were given lots of money. Then the idea became a plan. Now it will be a reality. We're moving.On November 4, we will load a Ryder truck with our stuff, 2 cats, and then tow a car 2,000 miles. And sidenote, let me show you the mountains we drive through in winter...

We won't have jobs yet. We won't be used to the city yet. If this sounds scary and like lots of work, you got it. But, in 2012, we WILL have jobs, we WILL have new friends, and we will live in one of the most beautiful and peaceful cities in the world.In my last blog, I didn't know what 2011 would be the year of. Now I know. It's the year of change; of new beginnings; of fear; but I have an ally. We are a team. And, at the end of this trek comes 2012.

2011 - The Year of ???

So in a few days I'm getting my tax refund. Then it's time to pay for my first ever cruise!!! DeBenson91 is going to the Bahamas. I've never been on a ship or to the Bahamas. 2011 is going to change all that.
But that isn't the only change that is coming my way. This year there is a good chance we're moving. We're looking at going 2000 miles west. If we pull this off, it will be a huge undertaking. New state, new friends, new jobs. I'm excited and terrified at the same time.
2010 was pretty good to me. I got married to my soul mate. Now, as newlyweds, it's time to move onward and upward. I hope 2011 will be kind to us. I hope our plans will match the plans the year has in store for us. For now, all I know is 2011 is the year of ???