Beach Living

So yeah, it's been almost a year.

And it was a very hard year at that.  I did move to California, and did get my house sold, and for a while everything was new and exciting.  Then I took Kitty to the vet and she was diagnosed with Lymphoma (a type of cancer having to do with the intestinal tract). 
I was thrown into despair.  Fortunately I was sent to a wonderful oncologist who was able to help us.  Kitty responded very well to the treatment, at at this date (May 17, 2017) I just received word that her bloodwork from yesterday's visit came back with everything good.  Our next visit will include an ultrasound, and from there we may be able to stop her chemo or at least limit it.  That would be so nice.

My ward in Artesia was Lakewood 4th Ward, and there was a woman there who remembered my Uncle Bill.  Because if I'm being completely honest, one reason I wanted to be in that area was to be close to my Uncle Bill, even though he passed away some years ago.  I do go see him when I drive North to Utah, he's only a couple plots over from my mom in the Pioneer Cemetery in Overton.

Anyway, I was called first as the Activity Days Leader, and then as the Primary Chorister, and then as the Choir Director.  Three really is too much for me, but given the size of the ward (so small) and primary (even smaller, maybe 20-30 kids), it wasn't too bad.  I was starting to get overwhelmed when it became apparent that I needed to move.

I think I mentioned the stress of the drive before.  It was an hour through heavy traffic, both ways.  I'd get home completely wiped out.  On the days we had Activity Days, I would leave work early to make sure I got there on time.  Saturdays I would spend on the couch with Kitty binging tv shows and eating garbage.  Sometimes I'd go out and see Dus, but for the most part it was just me and Kitty.  It was very hard.  Then they raised my rent, and with my need to decrease my debt and thus decrease the amount of money I spend on other things, I decided it was time to move.  So I put in the effort to find a new place to live, and at the beginning of March Kitty and I moved to Redondo Beach.

My commute is now 10-15 minutes long, surface streets, and stop lights are the major issue.  And one elementary school that I like to get to before 8:00am so I don't get stuck behind the cars dropping off kids.  I pass behind the school so it's usually not too bad even if I'm late.  I get home much earlier now, and there's a walking/biking path about a block away from my house.  Haven't gotten to the beach yet, still trying to figure that out, but I'm sure my new ward will help.

My new ward is Manhattan Beach Ward, and it is awesome.  I mentioned to the Bishop that I love Primary when I called to ask for help moving, and now I teach the CTR 5's.  Just the one calling so far, too.  Plus there are a lot more kids in this ward :)  I'd guess our Jr Primary is the same size as their whole Primary.  I love being a teacher again.

So I moved to the beach and things are much, much more chill.  And Kitty didn't even attack me yesterday, so that was good too :)