Hello From Portland

I am sitting in a hotel room in Portland, Oregon not far from the apartment complex I will be moving in tomorrow. I went a day early to apply for the apartment and to look at some of the choices and settled on one that will do very nicely for me. It is cheaper than I thought it would be and quieter. It is in a great neighborhood with the public library within walking distance, Starbucks and even a walking trail. There are lots of trees everywhere.

My son is getting some last minute packing for me. He wanted to pack my suitcases for this trip while I was doing other things and he did an great job except he forgot to include some underwear and socks. They are in the dresser that is coming in tomorrow. I am drying some underwear that I wore coming up here and it should be dry by the time I pick up the keys tomorrow morning.

I am bringing only bare necessities and will buy what I need as I go along. I will have two lamps and my two computers along with the computer desk my son bought for me. I have my bed and some rugs. I have a patio and will later put some plants out there. I have just a pan or two and a few dishes and of course my coffee pot, coffee grinder and coffee. I gave the rest to my son for his household and I will slowly build things up. I am bringing my wine stand and crystal glasses. I have some coffee cups that I like to use in the morning as they have covers in case I spill them.

I drove all night and took a nap so I can still sleep tonight. Along the way, I was astonished to see the headlines of the capture and death of Osama bin Laden. At first, I thought it was a fake news story until I saw the same headline on other newspapers. I am hoping this brings some closure to the families and friends of the victims of the crimes he committed. It brought a surrealist tinge to my trip.

There is no doubt that my move to Portland was a correct one, but it was sad all the same too. I have lived in Redding and recovered much of the illnesses I had when I moved there. I will always be grateful for that. I will also be grateful for my waking up in Korea last year. It is best when I don't have my grown up children with me and it is better for them. I kept telling my son that I prized one thing more than anything else and I don't think he ever listened to me and that I prize my freedom. In the end, I did not have my freedom in Redding. Freedom is precious and one has to earn it and to fight for it to be worth anything.