At our former address, we used to love sitting out on the balcony even after it got dark. The expanse of sky before us, the town to the left. The parking lot, especially during the summer, was obscured by trees and greenery.
That all changed when the parking lot was expanded to three times its original size. Trees were felled, bushes removed, earth turned over...and LOTS more streetlights installed. Between the noise and commotion during the day and the extra light at night, we no longer lingered out there.
Then, when the back wall started to crack...well, I wouldn't go out there if you paid me.
Here, we don't have outdoor space. There are tiny little balconies, if you can call them that, outside the two back double doors. They are really for plants, not people. Besides, with six cats, those little "balconies" are not going to be open.
But there are advantages here. More space, overall. More light, because there are twice as many windows and most of the windows are as large as patio doors or they ARE patio doors. The cats love it here. They have umpteen places to sleep and lots of room to play, which they sometimes do with abandon and lots of sunbathing to do.
Like most older people, I usually have to get up in the wee small hours and head to the bathroom. Sometimes, when I do, I will check on the clowns to see where they are. And sometimes, I will look out the kitchen window which faces the mountains and has a view of the sky. I've mentioned discovering the moon before. Such a delight to see a big, full moon over the hills and mountains.
I was gazing out the other night...no moon as yet...but the sky was completely clear and the stars were very bright. And I found myself looking at Orion! There he was, the warrior, right THERE in front of me...I haven't seen a constellation in years!!! It reminded me of California, up in the hills outside San Francisco, where the skies were clear and full of stars. Wow!! Orion! Long time, no see! I didn't want to go back to bed.
And today we get a sink in the back bathroom and a new kitchen faucet. A new round of upgrades is in motion. I see a new rheumatologist in a week or so, too. I intend to speak my mind. I want very much to feel better and be able to walk about town once again.
Maybe it isn't so bad here after all.
