4 Years in Austin

April 9, 2009 was the first time in my life I didn't sit down at a seder table to celebrate Passover.  Instead, Abe and I  sold our loft early in the day and went to our closing with lawyers, brokers, agents, new buyers.  There were 10 of us in the room.  Afterwards we walked the hood, said goodbye to store owners, neighbors, and then our neighbor drove us to JFK where I used our new lap top for the first time. Abe was silent and looked worried. We arrived in Austin and slept at the Garden Hilton.  The next morning we were picked up by our RE agent and met with a broker in an office and signed off on our new home.  There were 4 of us in the room (already Texas was telling me "I'm From Texas, Screw You.") We couldn't get into our new home because no one left keys for us.  Our RE agent called another agent and he had the garage code to let us in.  Someone finally brought us keys.  It poured the next day after we slept on the floor.  A Time Warner guy came out to set us up with cable and phone lines and told us our new home was going to explode because the gas was connected to the electricity.  After Abe had a semi heart attack we learned he was mistaken.  He has since apologized (I'm certain he's strung out.)  It was a rough beginning.  Abe's adjustment was rocky, rocky, rocky and I was in heaven.  Yep, a Woody Allen script here.  It's my blog so I can say it's been a great ride and I am so happy we're here.  Our lives are filled with a new culture, beautiful art, a garden that brings us enormous gratification, Foundation Communities, UT RTF, Cohen New Works Festival, AFS, AFF, SXSW, Paramount, Stateside, Polvo's, Roaring Fork, The Blanton, The Long Center, The Alamos, Laurel Vouvray's acting classes, tennis for Abe at the South Austin Rec Center, and most important Josh and Liz, our kids.  Home at last...far from home.