Hello - it has been a while since I wrote a sharepost . I have been on the "move" literally .

Now residing in California and the change in climate , altitude and atmosphere has had it's ups and downs ...

Just 3 weeks now and am just getting used to making my way around , having a front yard to tend to and no noisy upstairs neighbors , lol ....

The move itself was pretty stressful in itself .. having my brother help me was so-so .. as he did his best to help me out here and has opened his place up to me , I am grateful ...

What was to be two weeks of adjustment with him ended up to be three days .. his "boss" made a surprise stop here and what was to be a 3 day stay ended up two weeks !

The dogs and I were not abandoned but his boss had taken up my brothers time, energy and lightheartedness .. stressing him out , me out and the dogs (his boss also brought along his 8 yr. old mixed retriever, Ripley) ...

My Maxx and Penny were snarled at the first go round .. my Penny, who is 12 , near blind and deaf was nipped twice .. after the 2nd time I spoke out harshly that this is not going to be tolerated ..

My brother also told his boss that my dogs are older and live here , that Ripley is a guest , that he snarls at them and of course it won't be tolerated .. thank goodness .. but this guy takes advantage and stressed out my bro so much .. as I said in the beginning , we were to have this 2 weeks to get settled in and be shown around the area so that when my bro goes on the road for shows , I know what I am doing ...

His stress made my stress and anxiety go way up .. I cried everyday , felt like I couldn't breathe and sometimes just wished , well, put it this way , if not for my babies I wouldn't be here .. although I am continuing therapy via email and phone with my Mary in Santa Fe , she has been an angel , giving me good tools to be more assertive and less passive/aggressive ...

She has been helping me communicate my needs , while understanding others ... it has been a whirlwind 3 weeks now .. and so much has taken place .. learning to just let go of the negative has been good , learning to be assertive is great ...

Well, so much has taken place and so much yet to come as I adjust to a new life and hopefully new beginning .... my body is now just getting back to the norm as we have the house to ourselves , the dogs and I are able to adjust and focus and rest ...

This place has many opportunities for me .. we have a nice lot , it affords me the chance to garden in the sunshine .. since it also has a nice backyard my bro does his artwork (metal sculptures) so he assigned (lol) the front as the dogs and my work area .. to plant, design and keep clean .. I believe the dogs love it as it is park-like ..

My potting table , pots, bench and lawn furniture make the mossy grounds surrounded by fig trees among shade trees .. so they have a sense of "home" as well as I .. familiar and new together ..