Chekhov got back to Sunset on Sunday afternoon, which means the move is now officially complete; everything I own is now within a relatively compact geographical area of western Washington, as are most of my friends. My cousin Alan will probably be up here within a few years, and even Frank and Olivia are considering a move to Portland. That’s really incredibly fast considering that a year ago today, I hadn’t even thought of doing this yet; I asked Grace for her opinion about it around the first week of December, and my first text to my real estate agent on the subject was on December 13th. We whittled down the list of available properties during Grace’s Christmas visit, saw the property for the first time on January 3rd, hashed out the details over the next few months, closed the sale of my Oklahoma property in late May and the sale of Sunset on May 30th, and the first load departed westbound on July 25th. And after many problems, a lot of heartbreak and tremendous cost overruns, we’re done at last and one more source of stress is gone from my life. Grace will be really busy fixing up the place; getting everything I want accomplished will probably take another year and a lot more money, but at least I no longer have a mortgage and Grace is close by. And that is worth a great deal to me. If you’d like to help fix the place, I’m running a very generous special until the end of the month; it’s open to both local clients and those I need to travel to reach, with different terms. If you’re interested please email me, but please only if you’re serious! 
Diary #380
October 10, 2017 by Maggie McNeill
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[Insert Llama Ranch brothel joke here.]
Don’t forget the Ogden Nash poem!
Welcome aboard to Western WA, and…now that the rains have started with a vengeance I really do mean ‘welcome aboard’, heehee. Dunno if you’ve had a lot of time spent in the PNW in the past, but if not – don’t let the winter-rainy doldrums get you down!!!
I grew up here and there in the rainiest parts of the PNW, and I have had some of the absolute _best_ days of my life literally *covered* in soaking wet rain…coming down in sheets as I shivered, barely protected by goretex and polypro snugglies…maybe watching a slug roll across the moss, or a deer creep across a meadow ‘unseen’… the beautiful grey mist of the clouds infusing itself into and thru the tops of the cedars…drinking piping hot tomato soup from a thermos, along with a snootful of swiss or Jarlsberg cheese to steel me for the hike back home. 🙂
That aside, I read your site often…I am not rich, but I will finally get off my lazy butt and peruse your store since I have definitely read of enough inspiration on your site to admit I need to send some $$ back to you in return….Maybe I’ll get the book!
I really respect your work and am glad you are being a thoughtful reasoned voice of sanity, and as a bonus – you don’t hold back when it is warranted….for example Oct 10th ‘i-do-not-consent’ post.
Damn, I wish I could have said things that eloquently!