Once again, we turn the page on a new chapter. We are moving to Maryland. In January of 2020, Valerie’s Mom, Mae moved to Maryland to live with one of Valerie’s sisters who lives in Germantown, MD. Valerie’s other sister lives about 30 miles away in Arlington, VA. Valerie and I stayed around to oversee the sale of Mae’s house in Torrance, CA. The sale closed in late February.
At that point, our plan was to visit some friends and move around at a leisurely pace. The pandemic forced us to change those plans and stay put and were allowed to spend the spring and summer at beautiful Lake Tahoe. Wanting to get back closer to Southern California, in September 2020, we started a one year lease for a tiny home in Desert Hot Springs at the Caliente Springs Resort. During the winter, we considered the possibility of buying a place at Caliente Springs and/or buying an RV as a way to resume some domestic travel.
Ultimately, we’ve decided to move to Maryland. This will allow Valerie to be close to her sisters and help out her Mom. We took a trip out there recently to visit and while there we rented a one bedroom apartment in Germantown. We are now back in California and will be renting a U-Haul trailer to drag our belongings out to the east coast, departing on May 26.
Yes, this will be a big change, but we’ve become accustomed to change during the 10 years since we stopped working. I lived in Northern Virginia for many years back in the 1980’s so I have some familiarity with the geography and the weather. Also, this will put us closer to my family members in Kentucky and Tennessee. Still a meaningful distance away but definitely closer.
Time to move on.
Second Act 
“This is such exciting news!! “, she said selfishly.
Actually I find it exciting first and foremost for Valerie and her mom. As the mom of a child living at a distance myself, I know what this means for her to have Valerie nearby. I would give anything to have Lauren closer.
Then there’s the selfish part about the prospect of seeing you two more often. Henley will be thrilled! We still frequent NOVA from time to time with Drummond and Kelsey living in Arlington, and still have 18 Century Cottage in Leesburg (which was available for rent two months ago). The wedding DJ-now-friend in Cville has moved to Germantown, and I get up there to visit from time to time. So I’m sure we’ll have opportunities to rendezvous. If we ever find the right house in Cville, we’ll be set for company. Right now I’m still in a one bedroom apartment and Henley at Liberty Hall. I guess you know how the real estate market is right now. Not a great time to buy. This too shall pass.
So thanks for sharing this great news about your next adventure, and let us know if there is anything we can do to help out.
Love,
Anne and Henley
Thanks for keeping us posted. Please stay safe of the cross-crountry trip pulling your u-haul!
I am sure you put a lot of thought into the decision. Her family looks like a fun group! Be safe and I miss seeing y’all. Strange times during this last year plus. Hopefully we are on the right side of putting this all behind us! All is okay here. Right now zeroing in on the “the passage of Hudson to a new phase of his life”! Time flies… Love y’all
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We are going to miss you guys. It feels a bit like it won’t be as easy to see you or go camping! But we wish you well and certainly understand the responsibility of being part of the village to take care of our loved ones! Please let us know when you get situated!
Once one retires, adapting to change is a way of life. I know Valerie’s sisters will appreciate the help and certainly her mom will love being able to see V and you on a frequent basis. Good luck on the new chapter and be careful on your cross-country trip! Love you both!