First impressions....

  Well it's been just over three months into our new adventure.  It's been such an exciting change and we are all loving this new adventure. Our 1,000 square foot house is working for us better than we could have imagined.  Jimmie really resisted this house not so much because of the size. It's a modest two bedroom house with one full bathroom and a extra toilet in another room that is so tight I once hit my head on the door just bending over to pull my pants down. It was more the view from the front of the house he found fault with.  Of course we would have loved an ocean view or perhaps a view of the harbor where we could watch the sail boats wistfully  pass by as we sipped our evening champagne. I can't say I would have minded that either.  But hey let's face it , Santa Cruz is expensive and we are not rich. We had to make sacrifices in order to be able to afford living here so the square footage we were accustomed to was the first to go.  We will clean house, sell stuff , simplify.   Even Jimmie who has a borderline hoarder mentality was willing to make changes to live near the beach. But as I hunted obsessively for our new beach pad it became clear more sacrifices were going to be necessary. Our price range offered us about 6-700 square feet or were utterly awful ugly houses that people were having bidding wars over, so when I saw this place with 1,000 square feet that was already clean, hardwood floors a recently remodeled bathroom, slightly updated kitchen I looked past the view of Walgreens from the front of the house. Yes the neon sign glows into our house at night like a parked space ship, yes sometimes the local vagrants like to crash in the Walgreens bushes and sing " who let the dogs out?!" At three in the morning, ( that actually happened)  and yes it's not an ocean view but hey it has it's perks, running out of toilet paper has never been so exciting. I literally open my front door , walk across the street and buy my t.p. why the unfortunate guest waits on the porcelain throne and I'm back in two minutes.  We have grown to love this Walgreens, ice is out ,,, no problem,,, craving chocolate?  I'll be back in two minutes,  forgot your tooth brush?  No worries....
   There are other perks to this location also, there's a fabulous nature preserve around the corner that gives us a fantastic walk to the harbor and then to the beach. So we can still actually sip champagne.
And watch the boats we just have to pedal or walk home to our lovely  home next to walgreens.
  No matter which way we choose to walk , an endless variety of tasty grub calls me, tantalizing me with smells and inviting atmospheres that are reminiscent of San Francisco or sometimes even European cafés.  I have done a good job of eating my way through this small city and plan on writing about all my favorite places.
    It's good to count your blessings, we've had lots and we've had nothing, it's all good either way, a joyful heart comes from the inside and not external things, but it's a pleasure to be able to absorb the beauty of nature on a daily basis, to slowly breath in fresh ocean air and and take time to be thankful. I hope to live every day thankful I still breath, and those I love are breathing next to me. And also I'm thankful for peanut butter cookies. Peanut butter cookies from the buttery,  my favorite bakery I walk too. I'm very very thankful for the buttery. ....