Long Overdue

friends -

bear with me through the preamble, and I'll tell you where we've arrived.

Well, it's been plenty of time from late October and nary a word from me.  Which is fine, I suppose, as these words are meant for me and anyone who might ever care to look, and if no one ever looks, they will have nonethleess been written and recorded.

For however long they might endure, these words, and the sum of those I have written before, and, one hopes, after, will stand as testimony to the fact that I was here.  I existed.  I observed and considered and understood. 

Perhaps some person, somewhere, somewhen, might chance upon them and find some small measure of solace.  If so they will have done double duty - comforting both me and a stranger.  Any more, and I might begin to consider them to have performed yeoman's service, should any but I and another find them and reflect upon them.

For it is our echo, in the minds of others, that matters most.  And all of known history is but the recording and passing on of an echo of a moment, of a person, of a person in a moment.  How sorrowful to be an echo of evil, as Hitler, or Pol Pot, or any of a thousand evil men and women cast down through history to enduring disdain.

But how wonderful to be an echo of reason, to become known for thought and insight and wisdom - to be the echo of Plato, of Socrates, of Lao Tzu, Confucius, Descarte, Cicero......what price to be among such luminaries? 

But I am content with my lot; to have to my hand the means of recording my thoughts and, all at a stroke, send them forth to all and sundry who may care to look.  I have no need of pen or quill; no need of the printer or bookbinder or librarian.  I may publish at will, and advertise freely, and hope my words find their target.

So, again, I remind anyone who cares to read, that this site is not just about our journey to a different life in the Finger Lakes.  It is also about the why of that path.  The reason I have chosen it.  The reason I have set aside certain expectations and adjusted my estimation of myself downwards.

Anyway.  Where matters stand is we have postponed our efforts to build a house.  We instead are obtaining temporary housing in nearby Moravia, and will focus the remainder of this year on settling our children, converting our existing home to a rental property, completing our obligations in Georgia, moving to New York, and settling in.

Time permitting, we will complete the infrastructure for the Project, plant the orchard, and prepare the gardens for next spring.

We are to move into an apartment on the 6th of April, and will shortly thereafter ship our household goods to New York.  This house will go out for rent on May 1st.  Once my services are no longer needed by Synovus, I will move to Moravia, and complete any needed repairs and painting to the house.

Nina will follow no later than September.