On not missing San Francisco

While I am waiting for someone to show up for a phone conference, I have a quick second to write.

Yesterday, I discussed not missing San Francisco with my shrink.  I find it amazing that after 24 years there, I leave and don't miss it one bit.  In fact I am glad to be outta there.  Some of it may be the fact that The City has changed a lot since I moved there, but the shrink helped me figure out that one in that my last year there turned out to be a very difficult one dealing with all that went with Rick's strokes, and the fact I had dealt with his dementia for four years.  As you may suspect, it was a very rough time and that is probably one of the factors in my not missing San Francisco.

Anyway, I am glad to have gone south even though there is still a housing bugaboo to get over.  And that has set me to thinking that because my time is my own and my work portable, I should do some traveling.

That plan is a work in progress.

One Week Later

Last Monday was my last day in San Francisco.

Right after I turned in the rental van that got as much stuff out of my apartment as possible for donations and shipment down to here, I got on the first BART Train out.  It headed to Fremont and I picked up the VTA to San Jose and took the Coast Starlight the next morning to LA and the Pacific Surfliner from LA to San Diego.

I'm finally starting to exhale now.  Honestly, I don't think I could have stood living in San Francisco for one more day.  Anyway, the work space is set up and the storage space is set up.  All I need now is to set up a place to live until October when I go to Texas for a reunion and Mexico for a heritage tour.

I am starting to work again, and for the first time in a long while, I am actively soliciting clients.  That is a good thing in that I had put it off for so long while Rick was dying.

As I am getting used to my new surroundings, I also shed a few tears while I spent the weekend in Tijuana.  I got my Sanborn's fix and had dinner in a really nice Italian restaurant.  I think Rick would be jealous if he found out that Saturday, I decided I want to live in a condo or apartment BECAUSE, I don't find any thrill in buying a lawn mower.

One Last Trip Up Your Alley

Yesterday was Up Your Alley (a/k/a Dore Alley) in San Francisco.

For those not in the know, Up Your Alley is the run up to the much larger Folsom Street Fair in September.  These events were anything but Rick's cup of tea, so I have gone by myself to see the latest in gadgets and keep up with the trends.

They were also the LGBT events that I really enjoyed over the past several years.  Yes, I went to the Pride Parade every year with Rick (except this year when he was bedridden.)  But between Rick's mobility issues and his cognitive issues, it felt more like a duty dance as I felt too busy making sure he was OK to actually enjoy the event.

This year's version of Up Your Alley was bittersweet to me in that, although I did have fun, I also realize that in all probability, I would be here for the next one.

Then again, we all know some sort of event will replace it in my calendar.