In 1994, my (now late) husband and I came for a visit to his daughter's home just north of Roseburg, Oregon over Presidents Day weekend. We were living in Seattle where I had lived over 35 years and he a transplant from Arizona. It was like stepping into a time machine and going back decades. Those 3 days we spent were eye-opening and life changing.

When we went home, I stewed and fussed over those seeds of change and finally made the decision a week after returning home. I was moving to Oregon. The story is long and involved but suffice it to say, I told the family we were moving to Oregon. I gave notice to my boss and after many tears and struggles, 5 weeks to the day after the visit, we settled into our new home in Oakland, Oregon. Population 870. A place where 3 cars at a stop sign are a traffic jam. We both found work making a fraction of what we made in Seattle in our corporate positions, but our cost of living was fractional so it all balanced nicely.

That was 14 years ago and while life does what it does by throwing curve balls occasionally, we now think of this as home. Seattle is a very fond memory but I will never return. The rats can have it with my blessing.