In Life as in Nature, Seasons Do Change

     We did it! We survived Summer in Phoenix! It was brutal at times but no more tiresome then the relentless rain we endured for years. I thought that there would basically be one season here, Summer. Not true. People here told me that, when Fall and Winter came, and temps drop to 70 or so, I would be wearing jackets. I figured they probably get bundled up but I wouldn't because, being from Washington, 70 degrees is a warm Spring day! The first couple of weeks of October were amusing. I smirked when I saw people wearing jackets, knitted hats, scarves and boots. I was still in tank tops and flip flops. I have since changed my tune. I took Jonah to our favorite park yesterday around 5:30 p.m.. The temperature was 67. I had a long sleeved shirt on but I was cold! I am still wearing flip flops every day but when the sun goes down, I put on some socks and, yes, a jacket. I think I'm becoming a little bit acclimated. I have always loved heat and now, it's worse. If it isn't 80, I'm chiiiiilly. The temperature is now perfect for so many outdoor activities, walking, hiking, bike riding, playing catch, eating outside, parties, barbecues, going to the park, fishing, camping and the one thing I'm looking forward to...daytrips! There's a whole world of daytrips or weekend trips we can take now. Places like the Sedona, The Grand Canyon, Mexico, Tombstone and so many more.

     Halloween was a whole new delightful experience. There were no adult parties for Eli and I which was unusual. Every year since we met, we've had a big Halloween party to get ready for. This year it was all about Jonah. I was sad at first to not have a party to get excited about and no costumes to make but I discovered that sticking to a kid's Halloween is cheaper and much less stress. We went to a pre-trick-or-treating party a few blocks away where they had fun foods with creepy themes. Then we all descended upon a nearby neighborhood. We had about 9 kids and 5 adults. I couldn't stop talking about how awesome it was to be trick-or-treating in a sundress and flip flops! All those years of windy, cold, wet Halloween's and there we were strolling in the dark feeling comfy and warm. The kids didn't have to cover their costumes with big coats or wear long johns underneath them.
     We've had some visitors since we've been settled. Friends Ken and Pam from Big River, CA in July, Eli's mom in August for Jonah's first day of school and Kylie & Taryn for Jonah's birthday last month. We did some fun stuff while the girls were here, some vintage shopping, sushi night and lots of pool time. On Jonah's birthday, we went to Dave and Busters arcade restaurant. We're big fans of Dave and  Busters where adults can have a drink and really great food (not just pizza, fries, etc) and kids can play games for hours without costing a fortune. Later in the week we went to the Arizona State Fair. It was the biggest fair any of us have ever seen. It somehow reminded me of a movie set. Eli and Jonah rode carnival rides while the three of us girls went to the Billy Idol concert.  Seeing the legendary Billy Idol with my daughters was pretty surreal. We were surrounded by a white bread crowd of couples who seemed too uptight to let loose. Their stillness and blank stares at the stage were downright distracting as I tried to clap, dance, shout and rebel yell. The vibe around us was lame but Billy was fantastic.
     Eli doesn't get to enjoy the visits as much as I do. He's working about 50 hours a week. His job has really been a roller coaster but he's still riding the ride and it seems to be working out for our family. There were times when we decided it wasn't working out at all. In fact, he had accepted a job at another company and put in his two weeks notice. His current manager asked him not to leave and offered to pay him more to get him to stay. It all sounded great but they couldn't put anything in writing. We spent many evenings weighing all of the pros and cons of old shop vs new shop. He had made his decision. He was going to tell old shop thanks but no thanks and take the new job once and for all.  The same day Eli was going to tell his manager that he was taking the new job, a veteran body tech and key member of Eli's team, abruptly quit. He had been there for 20 years and was paid more than anyone in the entire company. This surprise was a complete game changer. While it would decrease their team productivity for awhile, it would also free up a large percentage of the shop revenue to be dispersed among the remaining team members. The climate of the entire shop changed. Morale, relationships and almighty paychecks improved and as a result, Eli decided to stay. In fact, I've never seen him so fired up about a job. He's really into it now. He comes home late and spends most of the evening talking about work. I'm not amused with the shop talk but I'm glad to see him so positive about it so I listen. His pay is much better.
     With a better income, life will improve for us now. We'll be playing "catch up" for some time but the future looks brighter. We're struggling a bit to keep up with our rent. It's just too high. The promise of cheap rent and low cost of living was part of what brought us here but we found that the cheap rent is always in a bad area. In good neighborhoods, rent is high but home prices are cheap. It's a recipe for investors to make a killing. If anyone out there is looking for a rental investment, you can buy a nice 3 bedroom home here for $70,000. Your payment would be approximately $350 a month. Rent on a nice 3 bedroom home is $900-$1300. Seriously. That's a great rental! I have an ongoing list of good ones that pop up. I just enjoy the window shopping and dreaming of the future. We would have already scooped one up but our credit is still shot from our financial crash.
     It's been 4 years now since we lost everything (so to speak). I say that with no reservations because I hope that someone may read it and realize that it's O.K..  It happened to millions of good, hard-working, smart people. I hope that others in our position realize that they haven't lost anything at all. I can only speak for myself, but I have gained insight, experience and a deeper appreciation for simplicity and for life itself. I like that feeling and it's something you cannot buy or learn from a text book.
     I hope this finds everyone well and swimming in blessings.

Michelle