Living Later

Oregonians live later than Midwesterners. I’m still trying to get used to a later start in the morning and a later bedtime in the evening. Later dinner (supper) hour. Later breakfast and lunch as well. Later times for my favorite TV shows. It has thrown my rhythms off and even after six months, I am not adjusted.

There are other disconnects. My days are varied and often contain surprises which were not usually part of my life at Terrapin Station. In fact, when I lived in Missouri, people could glance at the clock when calling me on the phone and know what I would be doing. Here no one (including me!) has a clue what I might be doing at any given hour of the day. It makes life more interesting, but also harder to manage. Some days get by me without my noticing and some seem to last a good deal longer than 24 hours.

Yesterday, for example, lasted quite awhile. First the usual morning stuff, then a long list of errands about town including a stop at the Earth Day Festival, then grocery shopping, a stint in the yard, some cooking, dinner and music and darts at a family get together. That was about a month’s worth of activities in Osceola. Today will be a family lunch and golf and who knows what the evening will bring.

The upcoming week continues the busyness with a program on Grizzlies being one of the highlights. (Prep for my Alaska trip.) Golf, of course, and therapy for Buddy. Things that were daily and rather uneventful down home are big productions here such as going to the Post Office which involves some driving and a long wait in line. Or a car wash which costs a lot more. It is impossible to run in the market and grab a quart of milk as stores are huge and lines are long.

As the younger folks would say, I have not yet “found my groove.” Still searching. Maybe later.