In Mekka...

...you can get things like an Italian Slush. It is a slightly more refined, and to my mind much tastier verion of what one can get at the Mecca of all things convenient, 7 Eleven. In this case, it's blackberry flavored. 

Speaking of, when Vanessa and I were preparing to move, and she needed to look into switching carriers, I spent a little time toodling with various "smart" phones. Boy howdy is that an oxymoron! They were all so anti-intuitive, ridiculously overcomplicated, and just a plain drag to use. Especially the Blackberries. But bear in mind, this was after having given iPhones a spin, and becoming a semi-pro in 20 minutes. Is it that I'm stupid, or that there is a more well thought out user interface at play here? Hmm...

So anyway, I am at a fine little cafe in the town neighboring mine, Nevada City, called Mekka. Looking around, it's a perfect metaphor of this area: they have what looks like remnants of the previous incarnation here, looking possibly from the 1800s (when this town, and many surrounding it, were founded, during the gold rush era.) On the walls, the wallpaper is partially removed, exposing brick. They cut out the majority of the ornate ceiling, leaving these big slice of toasted sandwich bread with a pattern looking sections around these ornate light fixtures. There's a guy across the way talking to this woman, with this slow, countryish drawl...and yet, he has a tufty blond mohawk,  and is wearing a fine shiny, slightly old fashioned looking purple shirt. This is an area of many great contrasts, and I'm definitely liking it. 

I've been meaning to add to our (well my, so far) blog about life up here, but I've been, well, living it. Slowly. Settlingly. Meltingly. Emotionally. Exasperatingly. Beautifully. Serenely. Happilly. Is that enough ly's? :)

I've been feeling like I want to write it all down, all the things we've been experiencing, so I, with my in some ways fragile memory, won't lose these first tastes of being in our new home. But I realized it's impossible...well not impossible, but not desireable, to try and document it all. It's like being on holiday, but spending the majority of time behind the lens, rather then being there for it. 

So let me just say, we, after a whole heap of moving (three roundrtrips to Oakland) and much cleaning (two days past midnight) and a big nudge to finish up from the universe in the form of surprise visitors last weekend, are now happily in our new home. They say animals are a barometer of the environment around them, and I think it's true here too. Our cats, Stella and Joe, are so relaxed here. When before, at our old place in Oakland, they'd go running for the door any time we were leaving, here, they for the most part casually watch us as we approach, and stay put when we enter. Having the ability  to open most of the windows wide I'm sure makes a difference. Having trees, flowers, and sun all around you I'm sure helps too.

And yet, our house is above what the locals call "Burger Basin," a place that not too long ago, was a lake. It was drained. Now it has all manner of fast food places, and the trappings of suburbia. But at the same time, here we are, surrounded by trees, with a beautiful broad deck to eat, relax, create, and do yoga on. Ah, contrasts. Our neighbors across the street have all manner of large, rumbly vehicles, including big Fords, GMCs, and  a monstrous (but oh so fun looking) offroad creature of some sort. It's complete with multiple vehicles with weeds growing around them, chopped tree trunks, and unidentified metal objects. Just when you think you've got them nailed, up comes one of them, bobbing his head to hip hop as he pulls in. Nice.

I've got lots more to say, but I want to get back to looking around me, soaking it in. And reading the newest issue of Ode www.odemagazine.com Ooh, there's some juicy gossip going on around me, a woman who's got a new boyfriend from her living in Africa, but is afraid to tell her still current, psycho boyfriend about it. Ah, life...Tonight is the Nevada City Film Festival www.nevadacityfilmfestival.com and this weekend I'm going to, pardon the pun in advance, plug in to the sustainable community here, at Powerpalooza  www.powerup-nc.org

More to tell...stay tuned.