Bev’s back to hanging clothes. I just hope to hell those animals don’t show up today! I also hope that in 84 days from now, she’ll be just a memory, right along with this otherwise nice duplex. God, I hope so! But do I get down on my knees and pray to a God who didn’t care that we lost our Maricopa house and our land here? I don’t think so. Instead, I’ll just hope for the best and let fate take care of itself because that’s about all I can do anyway. Finding a place isn’t the issue, it’s coming up with the money that’s the issue. Always, always money’s an issue for us. Always. He talks like we’ll have about $50 extra bucks a month after we move and get settled, but I know this is just a dream. Oh, sometimes we’ll have that, but most times, no.

I just worry that Redding may be a bit noisy with its warmer climate. If it does seem like it may be, then I guess we’ll stay here till we can retire in Eureka. I’d be willing to trade this cold in for some noise, though. If I had to go back to hearing every dog barking within a 5-mile radius, then no, but maybe I’d take a little noise. I just hope we can find a happy medium that’s between living way out on another planet and in the city. One not so far out that you get sonic booms, off-road vehicles, and hunters, but not where your nearest neighbor is just a few feet away either.

I’ve learned that climates/temperatures don’t so much have to do with how far north/south you are, but more with elevation. Redding is 557’ above sea level and this place is 4340’.

I got a letter from Bob. He’s still having sick spells where breathing gets very hard, medical is giving him the runaround, and he did get my story. Being your typical male, however, he says to sex it up, and as I told him, I’m a romantic-suspense writer with gay characters, not a porn writer.

He suggested some places in rural California like El Cajon or Lemon Grove and that Tom could get work at Convair General Dynamics in San Diego very easily cuz if they would hire stupid him, they’ll hire him, a man of intelligence. I don’t know how he knows about these places. He’s never said anything about being out west before, though his father lived in NV. Maybe Convair General is nationwide? I’ll tell him, though, that we want to stick to northern California cuz it’s cheaper and less crowded.