Bowie and Seattle.

Last Friday I got up at the crack of dawn and flew to Seattle for a long weekend with my daughter, son-in-law, and their family. I left Seattle on Tuesday with an offer for a nanny position, which I have accepted. I decided a couple of years ago that, when I decided where I want to live next, becoming a professional nanny would be a great way to relocate. My daughter has said for some time that I should be doing just that, but the time wasn't right for me. If you can't see an option as a viable option, then it isn't an opportunity for you. Not at that point in time.

I told the couple who I met at the airport, and who were looking for a nanny for their newborn son, that if it were a year from now, I would probably be begging them to hire me. When they asked why not now, I explained that I bought a home just about two years ago and if I sell it sooner than three years from the purchase date, I will have to re-pay the $8,000 first-time home-owner tax-credit that I received from my Uncle Sam. They said they'd keep my contact information, and asked me to contact them if and when my circumstances changed; perhaps their nanny position would be open again. The position sounded so ideal for me, though, that I couldn't stop thinking about it. The proverbial spark was lit.

I remembered that, although it wouldn't be wise for me to sell my house, I could rent it out. I thought of all sorts of reasons why I couldn't possibly pack up and move to Seattle at this time. Yet with every obstacle that came to mind, a solution was just a few thoughts away. Maybe I could make this work out. I called the couple and made arrangements to visit them at their home. We visited briefly and they showed me their house (which is in the nicest area of Seattle). They are both doctors who are in their residencies, so need a nanny...and one who can live-in, for the times when they get called to the hospital in the middle of the night. The next day, I went back to spend more time with the baby. We strolled to the neighborhood coffee shop, where they told me that they would like for me to be their nanny.

I went back to my daughter's in a fog, and on a cloud. Every time that I've visited Seattle I've thought (and said aloud), "I wish I could live here." For the rest of my weekend in Seattle (which was extended by a day, due to airline flight delays), I walked around in a daze. I realized, "Oh, my God...I can live here! I will live here!"

When she lived in NYC, I once told my daughter that I wished they were still in Seattle, because I really wanted to live there when I left the mid-west. She told me not to let her family dictate where I went. Well, of course not...but when I leave here, I explained, I want to at least be close to one of my kids (the rest of them live in our home-town...where I am not about to live again). Now, there was Janet back in Seattle with two of my grandsons...and my dream-job was on the table in front of me. I would be a complete idiot to refuse the offer. And so I accepted.

I was able to set my start-date for the 7th of November. I need time to get my home squared-away and rented. I need to find someone to mow and snow-blow, and I need a manager to collect the rent. I need to sort and sell most of my belongings; to decide what to take, what to store (if anything), and what to sell...and I have four weeks to do it in, at the absolute most. I haven't decided yet whether I'll fly or drive out. Flying is dirt-cheap right now, but shipping is still costly. I would really love the adventure (sanity-break) of a 1,500 mile road-trip, but I can mull all of that over while I'm cleaning out the basement.

I have a new job in a new city, a big adventure on the horizon, and a whole lot of David Bowie on my mind. Sing it with me! ♫♪ Ch-ch-ch-changes...♪♫

Coffee Flavored Coffee...

Coffee tastes so good when you haven't had any for two days. I ran out of my regular coffee a couple of weeks ago. At home, my coffee is almost always Sumatra; it's wonderfully rich and bold, and is never bitter. My ground coffee comes (almost) exclusively from Michelle's, in "historic downtown Sioux Falls". The only time that I brew something other than Sumatra is when Michelle's is out of Sumatra (and I'm desperate), or if someone generously left a bag of something else at my house and I've had to pull it out of my Emergency Back-up Stash. Well, the past two weeks were Emergency Mode around here. In fact, over the weekend I even depleted my Emergency Stash.

Saturday morning I trekked with Zöe to Caribou Coffee, since they're the closest coffee shop to my home. I've been to Caribou several times, and I have to say that the only time that I've liked what I got there was when they happened to have Sumatra brewed. I didn't particularly care for what I got on Saturday. Consequently, on Sunday Zöe and I trekked the other direction, to Starbucks (Michelle's is closed on Sunday). Not only did I get a better cup of joe, I also got a pumpkin scone - and they are delicious!

I've figured for some time that it's good to detox from our vices on occasion. Sometimes when I brush my teeth I'll see an absolutely brown tongue in the face looking back at me. On top of being a nasty color for a tongue, my entire esophagus probably looks the same. ince I was out of coffee, and out of money, I decided that it would be good for me to go without coffee for a few days. I made it to Monday night, at which point it was time for creative economics. I grabbed my lovely Zöe's leash, she went nuts (as she always does when it's time for a walk), and we both trekked past Starbuck's and on down to Michelle's to buy a pound of Sumatra. Today, I am a happy woman.

P.S. - I can not write about coffee ever, to any degree, without thinking of Denis Leary's stand-up routine about coffee. You can check it out on YouTube here. It will be the best 8 minutes of your day...if you're a coffee snob deserving of the title.