Category: Family

October 30^th was the date of wedding number 2.  Jeff and I flew into Midway Airport.  We had not intended to be back so quickly.  It was only three months ago that we had packed up and headed west.  Chicago was welcoming; however in the short time we had spent on the coast we were already feeling the difference in climate.  It was cold and windy just like Chicago should be.

We were not sure how many family members were going to be able to attend.  For most of our family, Austyn’s wedding in June had been the big family trip.  To our surprise and delight almost everyone made it.  We all checked into our hotels, greeted the late arriv als in the lobby.  I had planned to spend most of my time with the children in order to allow Pam and Raun freedom to be with their bridal party.  As we gathered little suitcases, a bag of toy and miniature wedding apparel, we brought Brianna, Sage and Chase to our room to settle in.  What was I thinking, settle in?  Three children don’t settle in especially on the weekend that their mother is getting married.  Jumping on the bed, playing on the computer, looking out the window and asking a thousand times to go swimming is what three children do…and we did it all.

Jeff had been very clear with both kids to warn against having children too quickly. He had told both Raun and Austyn to wait a few years.  Take time to get a little settled.  Austyn had said for months that she was afraid that she would get pregnant right away, this was not something they in any way were planning and she was fearful of what would happen to their life style if it did.

Many years ago Jeff was asked by my cousin about birth control.  He said it really wasn’t an issue because all he had to do was to think about babies and he would hear them crying “That was enough.”  Mention the phrase “I hear babies” to my cousin and he’ll relay the entire story.

Austyn and Brian had made it to Anchorage Alaska.  It had taken them almost 10 day to do so.  They had camped along the way, it was their wilderness adventure.  Both had found jobs and were settling into their new life.  Alaska was part of their five year plan. Finish school, make connections in the aviation world and explore the north.  After that they had planned to take a year and travel; hiking, camping, exploring.

Babies have way of changing our plans.  Austyn was pregnant.  This wasn’t a honeymoon baby but it wasn’t far off.  Her delivery date was somewhere in April.  Plans were changing.

Rumor had it that a ring had been purchased.  Not just any ring, one that would last a life time.  Raun was asking Pam to marry him and yes there would be one more wedding these years.

The date was selected and a beautiful venue was chosen in Lincoln Park, a short distance from where we had lived in Chicago.  This wedding would not mirror Austyn’s.  There were bride’s maids, tuxes, flower arrangements, a DJ, a bartender and deep dish pizza for the reception.  What most brides take a year to organize; Pam had put together in a few short weeks.

We had been in our new home about three weeks before we began to venture out. Less than a half of a mile in front of our home lies the Pacific Ocean. Less than three miles behind our home are the vineyards and they are beautiful. Most of them have a tasting room that for a small fee you are allowed to sample 5 to 10 different wines produced from that specific vineyard.

I was will very uneasy and struggling with panic attaches so when Jeff suggested that we check out a few vineyards on Saturday afternoon I was hesitant but knew that unless I was planning of never leaving my house I would have to force my self to do so.

Saturday afternoon arrived. Jeff had planned out where we were going. It appeared on the map that we had some driving to do. Mountains, foot hills, winding two lanes roads are never very clear on a map. To our delight we were less than 10 minutes from the first tasting room. Edna Valley. The view was breathtaking. Edna Valley’s tasting room is positioned so you are looking out over miles of vineyard surrounded by rolling mountains. Wine does not settle with me very well, so Jeff was on his own when it came to the tasting. We talked to the host and interacted with a few of the other guests. We looked at each other several times and said, “We live here.”

We made our way to the car and headed to the next winery. A short two miles up the road and we were there. The tasting room are staffed with several hosts that walk you through each tasting, give you history of the vineyard and answer any questions you have.

When asked if we were visiting, Jeff informed them that we had just moved from Chicago. Ironically the owner of this winery was also from Chicago and just happened to be walking through. We were introduced and chatted a bit about the Big City.

Jeff tasted the wines on the list. He must have shown a bit more enthusiasm then most because our host kept bringing out bottle of some of their finest wines. Seventy, Eighty dollar varieties for Jeff to try. He enjoyed each one and shared with me their flavor profiles.

As we walked out of the tasting room I held my hand out for the car keys. He may had been only tasting today, but between the two wineries I figured he had consumed a bit too much to be safe. Jeff freely handed me the keys. His expression was priceless, pure contentment. “I’m in heaven.” he said “and we live here.”

 

My total experience of being on the west coast consist of 3 days 28 years ago. My time on the coast has been primarily the Gulf off the Florida coast. I had expected warm sand, warm days, blue skies and beautiful sunsets. August in Pismo Beach was not what I had anticipated. There is this thing call the Marine Layer. The Marine Layer is a thick blanket of fog that moves inland when the temperatures in the valley (east of us) exceed 100 degrees. This happens almost the entire month of August. Unlike of typical fog which burns off, the Marine Layer does not burn, it moves and it moves very slowly.

Because of this layer, the temperature in Pismo during August remains in the low sixties. Not at all my expectations of a beach town in August.

The first weekend as we sat in the living room watching a movie I glanced out the window, the Marine Layer was rolling in. We could no longer see past the fronts of the houses across the street. As we looked up the block we could see the fog rolling in, it was a bit freaky. It was moving in and engulfing everything around it. Every day was the same. If it was clear early, it would not last long. Some days it looked like fog other days it was so thick causing the sky to be so dark it looked as if a thunderstorm was moving in. By the end of August the Marine Layer would move farther and farther off shore. As September approached the days became more and more clear. There was landscapes, shore lines and mountain ranges that we had not been able to see. After four weeks of living in the foggy, gloomy, cool beach town, September opened up and we discovered new views and sunsets…all from our new front porch.

 

We settled into our hotel room in Pismo Beach. Pismo Beach is a classic beach town. Population 8,000 of which 40% are vacation homes and those people are not there year round. During the summer and on weekends the town is hopping with surfers and people from the valley coming to the coast to find relief from heat.

That first night after we walked along the beach and watched the sun set, I started the search for rental properties. During the hour or so that I was on line a rental popped up on Craig’s list that looked interesting. I made contact and we set up a showing. We had several showing scheduled by noon the next day. Jeff and I were not looking for much. We had just moved out of a 900 square foot condo, space was not an issue to us. We did have a dog and there was not an abundance of placed that allowed four legged animals.

As we began to walk through places we decided that living for a year on the beach was exciting enough, we could settle with very little to know that the beach was just down the block. The third place we looked at was the one that had popped up on Craig’s List the first night we were here.

When we pulled up to the house it appeared to be full of people. We assumed two were the owners and the rest were people looking at the unit. As we walked through the unit we were trilled. Everything that we could have hoped for; a fire place, a yard, washer and dryer, water softer and the front porch just happed to have a view of the ocean. Shortly after we had seen the entire place the owner excused himself and met the next couple who had arrived to see the place.
I would never consider Jeff and I aggressive individuals. But that afternoon we were stacking our claim. With checkbook in hand, Jeff offered to write a check right there for the deposit and first months rent. Signed sealed and delivered, we had a place to live and it was far above anything we had anticipated having. We were not sure how long this adventure would last, but for the first year we were going to live in Pismo Beach, CA…the very place that Bugs Bunny vacations!