Almost 6 Years...

It will be 6 years ago this month that David and I loaded up my Mustang (packed to the gills), and moved 2 hours east to the "big city".  OK, Raleigh might not qualify if you live in NYC, but it IS on the top 50 list for largest cities in the US.  Anyway, after being laid off from a job I had for almost 8 years, and finding one that would take me farther away from where I grew up than I'd ever lived...I ended up in the "Triangle".  From the "Triad" to the "Triangle" we joked when we drove to the hotel that would be our home for the next 30 days.  We didn't know anyone here, or anything about the surrounding area, but we knew it was a new life...and a new beginning.

We stayed at Candlewood Suites in Raleigh while I started my new job, and looked every evening for an apartment to call home. We couldn't buy anything, because we weren't really sure which town we wanted to be in. After many apartment tours and lots of wrong turns, we settled in Cary. It was the beginning of a beautiful relationship (as much as you can have a relationship with a city).

Cary is on the western side of Raleigh, and has lots of restaurants and entertainment. It's considered an "upper class" town, and requires businesses and homeowners to follow strict rules on upkeep. There are lots of parks and greenways (a word I had never heard until I moved to the "Triangle"), and great shopping centers. It offers a quaint downtown area, and lots of shops and sidewalk cafes. We loved it instantly.


Fayetteville Street, Downtown Raleigh

Raleigh is only a few miles away. Within the first 60 days of our time here, we had visited every museum, the Capital building, the Governor's mansion, and Glenwood Avenue (not a landmark, but a cool place to hang out...it makes you feel very "urban").  We couldn't get enough of the new sights and places to visit.

 Eventually we discovered other places to go and spread ourselves out over several towns.  For someone who grew up and lived her entire life in a town with no stoplight, the easy access is remarkable.

We bought a townhouse about 4 years ago...I can walk to the mall, the grocery store, and 4-5 good restaurants. I also have 3 Starbucks within a mile of my front door.  And don't forget pizza...I can get one delivered, and I hope to never be in an area where I can't.


Our place

 I love my town.  I'm a transplant, but so is everyone else who lives here.  Cary makes us happy. :)

Thank You, Thank You, Thank You

1. For Cary...the place we call home.
2. Sidewalk cafes in the springtime.
3. Trader Joe's (if you don't have one, you're missing out!).
4. Biaggi's - our favorite Italian place.
5. That old song that came on the radio this afternoon...it reminded me of my happy childhood.
6. A warm fire, an Adam Sandler movie we've seen 100 times, and a peaceful night to enjoy.
7. My "almost paid for" car.
8. Friends who call me on the spur of the moment and ask me to meet them for breakfast.
9. The seashells in my bathroom (reminds me of summer by the sea).
10. Flip flops...it's full on WINTER, but that doesn't mean I don't want to wear them.

Help Me, Help Me, Help Me

1. Be more thankful.
2. With my sudden addiction to Hershey's chocolate bars.
3. To fight my fatigue and make the most of my waking hours.
4. To remember, when I stare up at the moon and stars, that it was You who made them.
5. To "be still and endure".
6. To accept myself for who and what I am.
7. To let David know I love him...every chance I get.
8. To be a better friend, even when I'm a good friend already.
9. To call my parents more regularly.
10. To win the Mega Millions drawing tonight ($355 million tonight!)