I know from past experience that part of acclimating to a new place is getting out and about in that new place.  This is what I have done so far:

* Got a library card, used it, too!
*Attended Church (Cotuit Federated Church) twice
*Attended one church volunteer meeting
*Found a massage therapist and have had two massages already
*Joined a gym - went to yoga, Pilates, learned the weight machines
*Had an extravagant facial ( referred to esthetician by MT)
*Attended a meeting of Cotuit Ketteleers (this is one of the Cape Cod Baseball League Teams) and a big deal in Cotuit
*Sent out a dozen resumes
*Attended Meditation Classes (two so far)
*Signed up for two classes at the Cape Cod Community College (Social Media and a website building class)
*Bought bikes for my son and me - We've rode the Shining Sea Bike Path from Falmouth to Woods Hole
*Got my Massachusetts liscense and tags

So even though it has not yet been a full month, I feel like I have started to get to know a few people (mostly from church), looked for ways to take care of myself and looked into getting involved in the community.  I still need to find (paying) work though, but until the right opportunity presents itself, I hope to find a niche, so to speak, in the community uses my skills and abilities.

I have just about TRUMPETED my search for a job to nearly everyone I have had the chance to meet.  And believe it or not, most folk seem supportive and not put-off in the least by my bringing my job hunt up.  One woman even passed on a few suggestions and a phone number.

I know that not everyone would take this same Step Out and Step Up approach , but it is one I am comfortable about taking.  How else are people going to know I am here and what I can do?  And no matter where you go, you will want friends.  And the best time to make them, is before you need them.  Who is to say which one of my new acquaintances may blossom into friendship?

I've only been here a few days, less than a week.  I've met with the pastor of a church I think I will join, got my son registered for school, made my initial trip to the motor vehicle department.  (Initial, since I have to go back having presented no acceptable proof of residency - that may be my first hurdle to overcome.)  And cleaning a house that has not been tended to in some time.

My mom passed last April and that was the first time I had come up to the Cape in years.  I was up here for a week and NEVER once did the thought occur to me to move here.  A few weeks before my mom passed, my job was cut to half time.  My oldest was headed for college out of state, so I started to think about selling the house and downsizing to something smaller for my younger son and me.  And to prepare for that eventual event by clearing out closets, doing some touch-up painting and sprucing up the house in general. 

The "For Sale" sign went up on July 4th weekend.  On that Saturday afternoon, my site manager from work called me to ask that I come to work on Monday to attend a conference call.  I didn't really think anything of that since I was down to part-time and assumed my site manager just forgot to tell me about the call.  Well, long story short, it was not the usual company-wide conference call.  I was to be let go effective August 7th.

I had the habit of heading to North Topsail Beach, NC to walk and clear my head whenever I needed to which was pretty darn often.   I was walking on NTB when I put the question out to God as to what I should do now.  The answer came:  move to the Cape, be there for your dad.  It was an answer I never would have come up with on my own.

 After all, I'd been in NC for about 8 years.  For three I was married and for five I was not.  The five years after the divorce were times of change too.  Those days arced, just a rainbow does. Starting from terrifying to reaching pretty good.  "Pretty good" became my new normal for a while.  I got a decent job for the area, and additional work writing for the local  weekly paper and blogging for a parenting forum.  I had wonderful friends, a beautiful beach only a short drive away and had a nice house. 

My reaction to the "the answer" was this:  if that was the right thing to do, if it was the right thing for me and my boys (even the one away at college), God would make it happen.  And I think He did exactly that.  This blog is a way for me to reflect on things that happened, consider the coincidences, and accept that I am to move forward in this direction even on the days I have my doubts.