California, Here I Come
“How do you feel about your daughter moving to California?” “Moom, are you happy that I’m moving to California?” “What if she gets homesick?” “Boy is she ever pretty! You can’t let her go!”
Lizzy Goodwrench?
But of course I did. Let my beautiful older daughter go, that is. It is her life and she left for Berkeley, CA this morning. She’ll be working for a bilingual (Spanish/English) radio program about families and children. Yes, she knows Spanish, she lived in Spain for six months. She likes kids and has an interest in family and child related issues. Here’s a link to the English version of the program’s web site and here’s a link to the Spanish version.
Homesick? I doubt it. She has visited the bay area before and is very excited about living there. She’ll be living with Jess, whom she’s known since middle school. Her “identical” cousin, The Beautiful Renee, is in San Francisco. And Liz is a very friendly, sociable person who makes friends easily wherever she is.
So, how do *I* feel about this? Oh, come on. Do you really think I have any words? Of *course* I miss her. She’s driving out there and I worry about that. In fact, I am totally tangled up inside today. This is different than leaving for college or even study abroad. I don’t know why, but it is. Kee-reist, I am a moom! This is all part of my job!
But. The absolute last thing I would want her to do after college is come *home* and live at the Landfill. That scenario is about dead last on her list too. I am ecstatic that she has a job and an inkling of a life plan. I think it’s great that she has arranged to live in a place of her choice. And I am very, very proud of her for having the courage to pack up and move across the country.
She’ll be back. She said to me earlier this summer, “Moom, you have the best vacation place on earth.” And I do. I wish with all my heart that I was there right now so I could walk out the front door, go down to the beach, fling a kayak into the water, and paddle out into the bay. Alas, I’ll have to settle for the great grey green greasy Urine Huron River. Good luck baby girl. Have a great time and knock ’em dead out there! I love you.
August 5th, 2006 at 1:08 pm
Anne-Moom didn’t tell the part about the car that fail to start as they were leaving this morning. Liz turned the key and the car responded with electrical gibberish!!! – Sad faces all aroud – I thought about the symptoms and found that the positive battery cable was loose!!! That is why Liz is holding a socket wrench in the photo.
August 5th, 2006 at 1:11 pm
She did not TELL that part of the story because she is deathly afraid that it will somehow JINX the trip!!! Heart in throat???
I am just about ready to go get dumped into the grimy old river.
August 5th, 2006 at 7:20 pm
I have a question I just looked at your houghton lake cabin would you happen to be on the north side of the lake? Or even better do you have a marker close by that is a white x on a tree?
August 5th, 2006 at 10:06 pm
Is Liz still planning on coming through STL? And if so when?
August 6th, 2006 at 2:51 am
don’t you worry – we’ll take good care of her here. 🙂
August 6th, 2006 at 11:39 am
Thanks, Renee, I know that 🙂
And, to answer Pooh’s question, they decided to take a more northerly route.
August 9th, 2006 at 10:38 am
Had a chance to visit Lil Liz before she left, she’s certainly capable, lucky to have a support system of friends and a cousin there. Miss her terribly, know parents and Mousie especially miss her the most. Waiting eagerly word of how the trip goes, living arrangements, meeting up with Renee and finding work. It’s very exciting. Moom is brave to see her off with realization that Elizabeth will be strong because of her excellent upbringing, especially all the enrichment provided by such an interesting father-Bill! Good Luck to all of you Finlayson Courtoises!! Much Love to you. Don’t cry- at least not too loud.