Paris and Beyond

Lessons Learned

One of my husband’s favorite things to say, usually spoken only half-jokingly when something doesn’t go as expected is, “Let that be a lesson to you.”

Not that we are experts, but a certain amount of travel experience has provided us with some valuable wisdom. It was interesting for me to reread my previous posts on the topic of planning and organization and think about some lessons learned. This post is rather long, but bear with me… along the way you can reminisce or catch up with our adventures as the case may be.

From our first trip in 2012 – Packing Our Bags – You can definitely fit more in your suitcase with that ziploc bag packing technique, however, you may not realize how much weight you are accumulating. When the suitcases were weighed at the airport, mine was well over the limit. So we had to unpack some of it and juggle it between us in our personal carry-ons. What a mess! These days I use that technique with caution. And now that Marie Kondo has entered my life, I’ll be using many of her suggestions. Also, those door hooks for hanging your toiletry bags — they don’t fit any French door!

2012 – Talloires on Lake Annecy

From our second trip in 2015 – The Little Red Suitcase – It’s always a challenge to pack for an extended vacation. Each time we try a new technique. After this particular trip, we were done hefting those well-packed carry-ons above our heads and cramming them into ever-shrinking overhead compartments. For trip #3 in 2016, we purchased two slightly larger suitcases and checked them. We’ll be using them again. We still need small carry-ons for essentials plus items that need to be secure and can’t afford to be lost (documents, jewelry, medications, etc.), but they’re very manageable. Also, this time toiletries have been simplified and combined into one small shared case that will easily sit on any counter — makeup in an even smaller pouch with fewer items… both already packed!

2015 – River Cruise on the Garonne in Bordeaux for C’s #60

And, finally, after the unfortunate events of our last trip in 2016 which you can also read about in various previous posts beginning with A Dose of Reality, we learned lots of important lessons.

1- Purchase that travel insurance they offer when you buy your plane tickets. If we had done so, we wouldn’t have had to buy a whole new set of return tickets and write the no-refund originals off to experience. You can bet I did that for this trip.

2 – Don’t depend simply on available WiFi and messaging on your phone as your only means of communication. That had always worked for us before. Not in this situation. Buy at least one local SIM card or phone that will give you a working device wherever you’re traveling. No matter how well you plan and prepare, certain things happen in life that are out of your control and you just might need to deal with an emergency like we did. Norman had to run out and buy a SIM card in a pinch which was really stressful. This time we’re not taking any chances. We’ll be picking one up as soon as we get off the plane in Barcelona.

3 – Make sure you have a list of your exact medications including doses plus a copy of your health record in some form — digital or otherwise. As you might imagine, mine is now pretty long so printing it isn’t very practical. My current doctor uses a great web interface and I was able to download a PDF and save it in a couple of different places just in case one magically “disappears”. I was lucky that the house we rented had a printer and I was able to print out a copy of my records to take to the hospital. It’s crucial that they know as much about your health history as possible especially if you’re not fluent in the language and they’re going to put you under to perform a medical procedure. Yikes! That was scary!!

4 – Find out if your medical insurance covers you when you’re out of the country and how it works. When I became ill in France, we had to pay for everything up front, collect all sorts of receipts, and then spend a lot of time and effort to get some reimbursement once we got home. Be sure you are prepared for this possibility. Hospitals are happy to accept credit cards and in countries with universal healthcare, the cost is far less than it is in the U.S. Additionally, you can purchase Medical Travel Insurance if you feel the need. Note: Medicare does not cover any medical expenses for travel outside the U.S.

5 – Passwords! — Is everything important in your life ruled by passwords? Make sure at least one other person knows how to find this information (whether it’s someone you are traveling with or someone back home) especially if you are the “keeper of the passwords” and all financial information as I am. At the scariest moment of our lives in the hospital, instead of focusing on each other and saying our last goodbyes, I was anxiously trying to explain to my husband how to get to all our important passwords. I use a secure password app on my phone, but he had no idea what it was or how to access it. Needless to say, he is now well-informed.

My theory is that if you go prepared for any unlikely event, there won’t be one. Let’s hope that proves true. We’ve learned enough lessons for the time being.

1994

2017

1994 – California Desert – The beginning of the Adventure

2017 – Oregon Coast – The Adventure continues…

Ready, Set…

 
It’s difficult to believe that three weeks from today we will be setting off on yet another European adventure. There was a point when I never thought this would be possible again. It has been almost three years since our fateful return from the last adventure which didn’t exactly go as planned by any stretch of the imagination. During this time, I retired, we packed, we moved, we sold a house and bought a new one. We’ve reorganized our daily routine to fit our retired life and new location. All the while, these activities were overshadowed by great effort and concern towards resolving the issues with my health. Today, I am happy to report that my very rare autoimmune disease is in remission with only maintenance doses of the magic drug infusion required every six months. I will never be “back to normal”, but I think I’ve arrived at my “new normal” and I’m satisfied with that. It’s time to really move on. As a friend recently commented about the transitions in her own life, “It’s not a new chapter. It’s a new book.” That’s exactly how I feel.

Planning and organization are my thing! I’m sure I picked up these strategies by osmosis from my mom who used them daily to exercise some control over her ever-changing life which involved constantly packing, moving, and setting up house again to accommodate Dad’s work. They are concepts essential to a successful business model but can be applied to any endeavor including moving and travel.

The key is planning ahead! For every one of our long trips ranging 6-8 weeks, I have begun researching almost a year in advance. Of course, these days, the internet makes this task infinitely more approachable than it ever was though you can get overwhelmed with information. I also download books to my Kindle and check out books from the library. In the process, I take lots and lots of notes and make many, many lists using my favorite apps…

• Notes – I use this for lists (love the interactive check-off circle) & specific itineraries. It’s especially easy to read and refer to on my phone when I’m out and about and don’t want to be an obvious tourist.

• Notes Plus – I enjoy old school handwriting with my new school Apple Pencil for detailed research notes which I only use on my iPad.

• Books – This is where I store all my PDFs related to the trip such as tickets and reservations organized into one Collection.

Even with all this technical wizardry, you need to be careful. Every time there’s a software update, it can potentially cause some items you’ve created or saved to mysteriously disappear. Usually I can figure out how to get them back eventually, but, just in case, I have a neatly organized folder with important hard copies as backup which I take along.

All of this represents hours and hours of work on my part, but I love doing it. I always keep the long-term goal in mind which is to enjoy a great vacation with a minimum of stress and worry. In the end, the experience is so much richer and more rewarding having put in all the time and effort to plan and organize it this way.

The Retirement Adventure

Retirement Fiesta ~ January 2017

One of the great things about retirement if you manage to make it that far… comfortably… is being able to dedicate all the time you want to a particular endeavor. En route to my retirement, I encountered many people who said they didn’t know what they were going to do with themselves when they retired. I always responded that I would be happy to take their place as I had an endless list of things I wanted to pursue that would easily occupy my time… for the rest of my life. I would probably have to borrow time in order to accomplish all my goals.

Well, no one made me that deal so I just had to wait until it was my turn. Then the most horrifying thing happened. All those stories I heard about people who barely made it to their retirement and suddenly became seriously ill or died — that was me, or almost me. Shoot! That’s not fair!! Ah, but as my 30-something high school English teacher emphatically declared to us every time we complained, “Life is not fair.” She should have known (though we didn’t at the time). A few short years later she died of cancer. She always delivered that line rather matter-of-factly as though you just had to accept it. I try to remember her words of wisdom when life becomes difficult.

I have been fortunate to make my way out of the mire and though it sometimes feels like an uphill battle, I seem to be hanging in there. And, the best medicine, second only to regular trips to the gym, is doing the things I love and learning new things. I spent over half a century in school in one role or another and there’s a reason for that. I LOVE LEARNING.

I had a rather unusual childhood in that I was rarely around other people my age when I wasn’t at school. We moved often and lived in neighborhoods where children were few. My brother who is 10 years older than I am, went off to college when I was 9 so I pretty much grew up as an only child. That was actually quite fine with me. I mean, I got all the attention. Who could complain about that? My mom wanted to make sure I had plenty of ways to constructively occupy myself and she was a big believer in hobbies — something I’ve discovered children don’t seem to have many of these days. I think my mom would have considered her own biggest hobby reading so of course, she instilled a love of reading in me beginning with the iconic Dr. Seuss. She would probably say that she had little time for anything else and, in fact, she acquired most of her books long after I left home. My mom did not like to cook. She did it because she had to and she was not about to teach me. However, she encouraged me to learn a lot of things she didn’t know how to do that I was interested in… sewing being the primary one.

I always loved making things and I began by making elaborate wardrobes for my trolls (you remember those, right?) when I was about 9. When I was 12, I developed an interest in sewing. I attended one Saturday class with a lesson in making a skirt in order to complete a Girl Scout badge and the rest, as they say, is history. That year I convinced my parents to buy me a sewing machine which my mom was sure I would never use and ended up spending the summer making my entire 7th grade wardrobe. Along with languages, apparently I had a knack for that too — both skills taking root and blossoming at the same time.

I even got a chance to pay back that original sewing lesson experience when I taught 20 girls to make skirts in a week-long mini-course at my middle school. That was extremely rewarding.

Over the years, I’ve dabbled in a variety of other crafts — embroidery, cross stitch, knitting, and t-shirt painting — oh so big in the 90’s. I have entire photo albums dedicated to pictures of my children wearing every painted t-shirt theme imaginable. And there was some serious jewelry making for a time. Several years ago, I picked up knitting again but didn’t have much guidance and just knitted a million scarves using the basic knit/garter stitch. I barely knew there was anything else. Online instructional videos hadn’t really made the scene yet. Plus I was so busy teaching and constantly learning other stuff for work, I just didn’t have the time or inclination to get serious. Last fall, I decided to delve into it once more and what a difference having so much time to devote to it. Suddenly, a whole new world of knitting opened up to me. Since then I have devoured many types of projects constantly challenging myself to take the next step up the ladder. I have learned all about needles, yarns, stitches, and patterns and reveled in my successes. I see no end in sight except for what my aching hands will allow.

Of course, it would be silly to think I would stop there. Recently, I saw a car with a license plate frame that read, “This car stops at all quilting stores.” It reminded me how annoyed I have been in the past few years to watch my local sewing store turn into nothing but a craft store with a major focus on quilting — so difficult to find quality fashion fabrics to use in making finely finished garments. Ironically, the moment I saw this car’s bold statement, I thought, “Maybe I should check that out.” That same day, I picked up several quilting books at the library, started making a list of tools I needed to buy, found an excellent online video lesson, and made plans for my first projects. So crazy!! But I am loving it and loving life and I think that’s what’s important.

So as I prepare to celebrate my 2-Year Retirement Anniversary, my creative adventures continue. Who knows where the road will lead next?

Fall at the Falls

As planned, we returned to Silver Falls State Park for an autumn viewing. We were not disappointed. Our wish to capture some fall color was granted at an unlikely moment. If you have ever delved into any serious photography, you’ve learned that shooting in the middle of the day is generally not recommended as the sun is high in the sky and your subjects can turn out rather flat and uninteresting. However, there are exceptions to ever rule in photography. This day was proof of that. We arrived at our destination around 11:30 and hiked for two hours. Absolutely midday but the combination of sharply angled autumn sun and a forested canyon location was, nevertheless, perfect. We encountered many beautiful trees still bright with fall yellows, greens, and reds radiantly backlit by the sun. Here are some of the results of our efforts. We hope you enjoy them.

As Thanksgiving approaches, we are certainly thankful for many things in our lives not the least of which is living in a beautiful state where we are surrounded by ever-changing seasons.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Silverton’s Silver Lining

While searching for some breakfast one morning during our countryside adventure, a short drive led us to the town of Silverton. We stopped in to “Silverton’s Original Coffeehouse”, the Live Local Cafe. It was definitely live-ly and definitely full of locals. This time of year, I would guess we were probably the only outsiders there. Nevertheless, we experienced a warm and welcoming atmosphere while enjoying yet another delicious Oregon coffee (Longbottom Peruvian)  and chai accompanied by scrumptious bagel breakfast sandwiches. Originating at Silver Falls State Park which is nearby, Silver Creek runs through town and the cafe features creekside dining which we would have appreciated on a warmer day. 

Following Main Street into town, we passed The Oregon Garden. I had read about this place before but didn’t realize it was located right in the heart of Silverton — truly a silver lining if there ever was one for this small town and our adventure. Even though the day had begun with a drizzle, the rain seemed to be poised to take a break for a couple of hours… or so my weather app said — generally not to be trusted, but this time its predictions held true. I really wanted to check out the gardens so we stopped in for a tour. On this day in late October, we practically had the place all to ourselves.

The Oregon Garden is an 80-acre botanical garden divided into 20 different specialty gardens with a focus on the flora of the Willamette Valley and Pacific Northwest. We began our tour in the large central plaza known as the Bosque (forest in Spanish) where four brick reflecting ponds surrounded by 40 Pacific Sunset Maples were resplendent in fall color. This area immediately draws you into the heart of the garden which then branches out in all directions to a variety of unique spaces. Additionally, we explored the Amazing Water Garden and the Wetlands, both combining local water treatment with the creation of a healthy habitat for plant and wildlife. 

It was definitely a fall feast for the eyes. So we roamed the grounds trying to find the best perspectives and angles to capture the essence of the season. Norman was on the DSLR this time and the first three photos here are his. I think he really nailed it. You can certainly tell the difference between those and the last three that I took with my iPhone.

As the clouds reappeared overhead and the skies became grey once again, we headed out on our way back to our country cabin. Time to relax by the fire with a glass of wine. I’m sure the Garden will be a place for many return visits throughout the seasons of our life here in Oregon.

Joyeux Anniversaire!

Of all our adventures together in the past 24 years, our most cherished ongoing adventure has been our marriage. Yesterday was our anniversary and we were thrilled to be celebrating so many happy years together with breakfast at our local French restaurant, Marché, followed by our customary coffee, chai, and pastry in their Provisions bistro. Later we enjoyed a dinner of duck breast and risotto prepared by my absolute favorite chef, my husband. When I realized we had forgotten to pick up dessert, I quickly whipped up an Apricot Clafoutis. Yes, we blew all the calories we “earned” at the gym this week, but our anniversary only comes once a year. No matter how we greet this day, we always reminisce about how amazingly well this adventure began.

On November 8, 1997 we took our vows under a white gazebo on the lawn of the famous Palm Springs Racquet Club, a resort opened in 1934 by actors Charles Farrell and Ralph Bellamy and frequented by all the big Hollywood stars. When we checked out this venue for our wedding, its popularity had severely declined, but it was still being well-maintained. We were planning the wedding ourselves on a budget and did we ever get a deal as they were happy to have the business. We stayed in the Mary Pickford bungalow where we were able to host all of our family after the wedding late into the night. Our reception was held in the Humphrey Bogart Room. There were even Bogart stamps issued that year which we used on our handmade tuxedo invitations. I made my dress and my dad, age 75, walked me down the aisle like I had always wanted him to do. Norman built two pedestals for each side of the gazebo to support tall ceramic vases he made which were filled with Stargazer Lilies by students from the ROP floral program in my school district. He also created over a dozen candle holders as well as smaller flower vases to decorate the tables at our reception. The cake was simple, but delicious from a local grocery store bakery decorated by additional Stargazers when it arrived. We spent a good portion of our budget on a mariachi that played for both the wedding and the reception. We didn’t have an official photographer in this pre-digital age so we don’t have a lot of photos but, boy, do we have incredibly wonderful memories of this event. It was certainly a dream come true for me.

We’ve celebrated our anniversary in various special ways every year, some more extravagant than others. Here we are in Lake Tahoe on Anniversary #10… ah, we were still so young. This photo was taken by a professional photographer who just happened to be on the scene and offered to do it for us.

Last year, we completed two decades of marriage and splurged on a stay at the Whale Cove Inn on the Oregon Coast. Selfie time…

This year, I suggested we take another selfie, but as we are getting back into our photography with a new kit, Norman insisted we do it properly. So he set up our equipment and took about 20 or so shots of us. He finally got one we were both happy with then did some editing and voilà… here we are on Anniversary #21.

We enjoyed yet another special day together doing things we love and hope to be fortunate enough to celebrate many more anniversaries to come.

Willamette Countryside

East of Salem, Oregon’s capital, lies a picturesque countryside of gently rolling hills. It’s covered with vineyards, Christmas tree farms, and various other crops along with the requisite horses, goats, pigs, and chickens anchored by solitary farmhouses. Sprinkled here and there are small towns with interesting names such as Scio, Stayton, Lyons, Sublimity, and Silverton. The major tourist draw to this area is Oregon’s most renown state park, Silver Falls. Its 7.2-mile Ten Falls Trail is a hiker’s and photographer’s delight. 

Beyond traditional picnicking and camping which are limited to warmer, drier times of the year, there are few restaurant and hotel options in the area. On our recent visit for a return to the Falls as an early anniversary celebration, we were extremely fortunate to find an incredibly luxurious AirBNB cabin on the Santiam River a few minutes from Stayton. 

This cabin is amazingly well-appointed. The hosts literally thought of everything. We were so impressed upon arrival that we immediately added another night to our stay. While we did spend some time visiting the area and taking in the fall color, most of the time we simply relaxed in the cabin… reading, knitting, sketching, watching some of our favorite shows warm and cozy in his and her recliners in front of the fireplace, listening to music or just the rain, and reveling in the peacefulness of our surroundings. All this was complemented by some great food and wine that we brought along to enjoy as well.

During a stay at this cabin, guests have the opportunity to join the hosts in their cleverly-named “Artsy Fartsy Studio” to experience an acrylic pour. There are dozens of videos demonstrating this on YouTube if you are not familiar with the technique.

I was curious so I tried my hand at the process accompanied by a glass of wine and some great conversation with the hosts. I love creative projects and this technique is one with endless possibilities. I chose to do a “dirty pour” and layered my cup with turquoise, orange, yellow gold, white, and silver paint which I inverted on a canvas and released. Here’s my rather surprising result. Not what I expected but beautiful nonetheless.

All in all, we spent a wonderful four days in the country and look forward to planning another adventure to experience a different season at “our” cabin on the river.

Waterfall Wonderland

South Falls

There’s no denying that the west coast is replete with natural beauty. We can verify that. Early in our adult lives, we unknowingly spent several years on opposite sides of Washington state enjoying the magnificent surrounds of Seattle and Pullman respectively. Both native Californians, we lived many years throughout the Golden State. During the 24 years we have been together, some of our most memorable experiences were photographing Yosemite, Lake Tahoe, Joshua Tree, Death Valley, the Coachella Valley, and the Monterey Peninsula resulting in some amazing images that hang on our walls.

Our new home state of Oregon possesses its own unique natural beauty with abundant scenic landmarks and breathtaking landscapes all within easy reach. In fact, it was on our 2001 six-week, six thousand mile western driving tour that we explored the full length of the Oregon coast and also discovered Eugene. Though our stay here was very brief, it left a lasting impression on us and now that we have lived here for awhile, we know why.

Rugged ocean shores, meandering rivers, and gleaming lakes abound surrounded by snow-capped mountains creating… my favorite — waterfalls galore. They are everywhere! And they are spectacular!! Last spring, we ventured out to Silver Falls State Park which is considered the “crown jewel” of Oregon State Parks. It certainly lives up to its reputation. Encompassing 9,200 acres, it is effectively the largest park in the state. The popular Trail of Ten Falls is a 7.2 mile loop with an elevation change of 800 feet. While this is very doable in one fell swoop for the average hiker, we’re not your “average hiker” anymore. So we broke it up into three smaller loops in order to take in all ten falls with plenty of time for photography along the way as well as simply soaking up the experience. This plan was made possible by reserving a three-night stay in the Calypso Cottage at Silver Falls Lodge located nearby. The cottage was built in 1945 and was originally used as a staff residence. Recently, it received an upscale renovation and is now open to the public — quite nice if you like to camp the way I do.

The park is located in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains. Hikers are surrounded by a dense forest of both deciduous and evergreen trees. Descending to the bottom of the canyon, waterfalls seem to appear around every bend flowing over the rocky canyon walls.

Along the Trail

At 177 feet, South Falls is the tallest and affords the opportunity to walk behind it. Fortunately, it happens to be the easiest hike so everyone can enjoy it.

Behind South Falls

Lower South Falls

Upper North Falls was our favorite. It’s only 65 feet tall but pours into a large pool one can imagine would be so inviting for a dip during the warmer months.

Upper North Falls

Silver Falls is calling us back for a few days at the end of this month. We’re hoping to catch some shades of autumn along with a different seasonal perspective on those spectacular waterfalls. Stay tuned!

Back in the Saddle Again, Again!*

It has been two years since our dreams of retiring and moving to France were dashed. So much has transpired in this time. When I left off here with my last post, we had explored Eugene, Oregon and found it to be a very acceptable substitute for our French country life plan. Then we made the big move. We were on the cusp of moving into our new home. That was a very exciting adventure, but, as anyone who has ever moved knows, it’s quite a task. While our new home was pretty much turnkey, there were many aspects on which we wanted to put our own stamp. Getting unpacked, organizing our belongings (and sorting them yet again), painting some rooms, decorating and furnishing, and taking charge of the yard and garden occupied all of our time the first several months. The summer and fall of 2017 are pretty much a blur but with very positive results. It’s just how we work together. We go at everything full speed though we seem to expend a lot more energy doing that these days. 

At the same time, we were also busy establishing ourselves with new doctors and getting various health issues addressed. I was fortunate to find a remarkable new rheumatologist who understood my disease well and recommended treatment I would not have received through my insurance plan in California. Norman, who has been battling scoliosis for quite some time, had a laminotomy to relieve the pressure on his spine and ultimately alleviate some of his back pain… a procedure his California doctor said couldn’t be done. We also got back to working out at the gym — not my favorite activity but a necessary one made a little more pleasant by the fact that I don’t have to do it after a long day at work anymore. I can’t help but think that we are both much better off having moved here for so many reasons — lifestyle, cost of living, and health — in ways we didn’t expect. 

Now and then we have had time to begin exploring this beautiful state. Eugene lies at the southern tip of the Willamette Valley which stretches north to Portland about two hours away. The valley contains the majority of Oregon’s largest cities and 70% of the state’s population — a mere four million people in total. Meandering lazily through the valley is the Willamette River. As we live right on the edge of the city surrounded by farmland, we have access to a tiny slice of the river via a small park located within easy walking/biking distance from our house. It’s perfect! Like living in the country without the mess… equivalent to camping at the Marriott. Yes, I am spoiled. 

Our Slice of the Willamette

Much like our beloved Dordogne Valley in southwestern France, Eugene is classified as having an oceanic climate. In fact, the coast is just 60 miles away. This past year, we have enjoyed several short trips to Florence, Yachats, Cape Perpetua, and Depoe Bay. While these areas possess nothing like the warm, calm California beaches to which we are accustomed, the rugged grandeur of the Oregon coastline is a sight to behold. It’s a photographer’s delight.

Sweet Creek Falls

Cape Perpetua

Heceta Head

Depoe Bay

Now that we are fairly settled and my health seems to have stabilized (the doctor says we are keeping the bad stuff quiet)… in the immortal words of Gene Autry, I’m ready to get “Back in the Saddle Again”. Assuming my health continues to cooperate, next June we will be off for one more European tour through Spain and France. I hope many of you will come along on this adventure. Meanwhile, there will be plenty of new experiences to report on here at home.

*I realized that I had already posted a blog with this title. It seems I keep falling off of the horse and having to get back on. At least I never give up.

Friendly

The city of Eugene is comprised of many different neighborhoods with specific names. For example, we are currently renting a house in the hilly, forested Churchill neighborhood named after the illustrious Winston Churchill. In a couple of weeks, we are moving to the flatter, open Santa Clara neighborhood — slightly ironic having just moved out of Santa Clara County in California. This is Eugene’s most northerly district lying on the edge of farmland and the city with easy access to the Willamette River bike paths. There are other neighborhoods with historical names such as Cal Young, named after the son of a couple who homesteaded the area in 1851. College Hill retains its name from the days when Columbia University was located there. Whitaker, known as “The Whit”, home to many breweries and other colorful businesses is Eugene’s hip neighborhood. Trainsong as the name suggests is surrounded by the Southern Pacific’s tracks and switching yard. Each neighborhood has its own character, ambience, and topography. My favorite is Goodpasture Island — what? There’s an island in Eugene?! Well, there used to be when the Willamette River would flood its banks each winter before flood control dams were built in the 40’s, 50’s, and 60’s… a reminder that it is necessary to think about whether or not your house is on the flood plain. We made sure ours was not!

There’s even a neighborhood called Friendly named after one of Eugene’s mayors and reputed to have very friendly residents. However, I would say that moniker could apply to the entire city. We have been welcomed with open arms by everyone since we arrived over a month ago. It feels like traveling in a time machine back to the 60’s. We started off with house-hunting in February and met our realtor, Amy. Who knew we were going to like our real estate agent so much that we would want to adopt her into our family when business is done?! She has been amazing not only doing an outstanding job of finessing our search for and acquisition of the right home, but also checking in with us from time to time just to see how we’re doing or if we need anything. Having been born and raised here, Amy is a fountain of knowledge. She has been able to provide all kinds of references and information that have helped us get settled.

Once we decided that Eugene would definitely be our next hometown, we had to find a place to rent in order to make the transition. We were fortunate to find a furnished house available through Sabbatical Homes. As it turned out, we have a lot in common with the owner, Nancy, such as our love of jazz and travel. She has been nothing but accommodating as our needs have changed extending our rental window as much as possible both at the beginning and end of our agreed contract so we can make a smooth move from her house to our new home. She even reached out to friends when it appeared we were going to need a subsequent rental. Nancy checks in with us to see how things are going and joins in cheering the successes of our pursuit of a new life in Eugene. We have experienced a wonderful sense of support in our new community.

At one point, we thought our new house would not close until two weeks after we had to vacate Nancy’s place. In the process of looking for another rental, we met Richard and Marjorie who were renting out their house for a month while off to visit Marjorie’s family in Marseilles, France. We spent quite a bit of time talking with them. While, in the end, we didn’t need to rent another place, we have kept them in our contacts for the future hoping we will be able have more than just the acquaintance and also gain an opportunity to continue practicing our French. Another AirBNB contact regarding a rental introduced us to Milo and his wife who are retired educators with, as they suggested, “lots of stories to share”. They weren’t sure they could accommodate our timeline but offered the guest bedroom in their house if we needed a couple of days leeway to get into our house. Such a thoughtful gesture from people you have never met.

Shopping and interacting with clerks and other employees has been another simple pleasure we have experienced in Eugene. If you ask where an item is located, usually they will not only know but will take you directly to it. More often than not, they ask you first if there’s something you need. Upon checkout, the clerks always take their time with every customer and engage you in a short but sincere conversation. While Anthony was checking out our groceries at Fred Meyer, we discovered his parents live just around the corner from the house we are buying. It’s refreshing to be greeted every day like this. It makes us feel like we can actually become part of the community rather easily as opposed to what would have been years and years of effort in that endeavor with limited reward had we moved to France.

We were a little leery about revealing the fact that we had moved here from California, but we are not alone. Some of the houses we have watched go on the market and then sell very quickly have ended up with California cars in the driveway. An enthusiastic “Welcome to Eugene” has been the response from everyone whether our dealings have been in person or online. We’ve come to the conclusion that Eugenians are just plain friendly and we’re thrilled!