Random Texarkana

I've been in Texas for a week. For the most part, I'm trying to stay off of the Internet and be present to this new life. At least while everyone is home. Marty starts his new job next week. The kids start school soon after. They can't look for jobs because their birth certificates and other identification were mistakenly put in Pods that are somewhere between Arizona and Texarkana; promised to us, "sometime in January." 

We are currently living out of suitcases and are missing some basics that were supposed to come with us in the Uhaul--thanks to our enthusiastic movers who took boxes they shouldn't have and loaded them into the Pods. We have clothing. We don't have flatware, but are making due with the Dollar Tree's plastic forks and knives. We have glasses now that I went to Goodwill and bought a matching set of seven. We have a cast iron pan because someone on the Nextdoor App was giving one away. Otherwise, we would have just had a Corningware baking dish and two cookie sheets. We have blankets (it was 80 degrees yesterday) and Luna's toys. But we don't have sheets and lamps, neither of which I'm willing to buy for short-term use. So, the adventure continues. 

There's a lot to process of this new life. Most of it is figuring out this, "new" way of doing/going/finding whatever. I thought I'd do a lot of comparing to the way of life I left and what I knew for the past 53 years. I haven't. Instead I feel like I'm just immersing myself in the different. 

Mesa seems like a murky dream at this point, and I find that slightly disturbing how easily I am leaving my life in Arizona behind. I miss my family and friends--all of you. You three readers (even you in DC) I think of often. But I don't miss that life, if it makes any sense. 

Texarkana is an interesting place, in the sense it is nothing I'm used to. We live in a suburb--more on that in a future blog--but are right on the edge of town. Dairy is pricy, but veggies and meat are not. And don't even get me started on under $3.00 a gallon gasoline! Services, like lawncare and yoga studios, seem to be more expensive. Everyone values their time more. 

I think I can live here, at least for five years, which is how long I will commit to at this time, barring any unforeseen circumstances. Maybe longer. There are some smaller-city concerns, like zoning, that make me cringe. But I like the fact Texarkana is quiet and everyone seems kind and friendly. I like my neighborhood. I like the fact I don't have heavy traffic, litter, pollution and "big city" kinds of issues.