Arrival

I have been terrible at keeping this up to date- mostly because I've not had any internet, but partly because everything that has happened has been SO BIG.

The few weeks between dave leaving and me following him were hard. I was exhausted to breaking point, miserable, stressed and bruised from work. None of these things were new, but I didn't have a house or a husband and it turns out I actually quite like both of those things. Rely on them, even.

Reaching California was relatively easy, the next few weeks were not. We stayed with relatives, one of whom I did not particularly get on with. There was no where else to go, since I didn't have a car or a driving license or any way of escaping, so i spent a whole lot of time by the pool on an old lounger or hiding in my room.

Getting the keys to our apartment was heavenly. Filling it with furniture and unpacking our boxes was amazing. This week I booked my driving permit test, arranged a meeting to go and do some volunteering and joined the library. We also got internet and cable. Each one of these little details has helped me feel more at home, more settled and less transient.

There are still the odd occasions when I wish I could click my heels and be in our flat in Edinburgh, working away at Bankfoot and going out with the boys and jen for a pint on a Saturday or drinking cheap wine with the uni girls on a Tuesday, but the sun and swimming in the sea and our pool and the iced coffee usually talk me out of it.

I shall be back, now I have wifi, to tell you tales of turtles and hummingbirds and my favourite chat-up lines by homeless guys. Bet you can't wait.