Little Cabin in the Woods

I really like my little house next to the forest. I rent, and it has been a cozy little place to be in this cozy little town.

Still, I've never given a lot thought into where I live.  I usually pick my cities by the job that sounds the coolest, and my housing there by what is the cheapest.

I really lucked out with this place.  Back when I was looking there wasn't much available for the end of March. My neighbors are reasonably low key and they don't care when I hang out on my back deck chain smoking to fight back against an ugly day, even though the houses are so close together they are probably getting a fair amount second hand.  I, in turn, ignore their parties and various quirks like taking their trash to the curb two or three days early.

I am hoping to make another move in the next few months. This time I am being much more picky about where I move than I have ever been. Being picky means things take more time.

But even as I think about the cities that seem attractive, I start to think about the housing itself. I do not want to buy a house, I am simply not an owner.

I like how quiet a house can be, and the natural space you get between you and other people. But even just renting a house is more work than a woman who travels a lot can really keep up with.

I'd like to be near water, and have some plants.  I'd like to live in an older place, built back when funny little details got some attention -like nickel doorknobs or wainscoting.

I think I want something smaller, too.  I moved from a nice sized house in MN to this smaller one here, and have since taken a lot of stuff to St V de P.  I'm not a stuff person. For my next move, most of this will also go somewhere.

This place has been a lovely cocoon for a period of my life that was meant for healing and re-creation.  Eventually, every caterpillar outgrows its cocoon.

I want my next space to be somewhere to rest and feel comfortable, but only as a launching pad to take flight.

I've done my time as a caterpillar.  I'm ready to try life as a butterfly.