Tag Archives: California

One Person’s Junk (97)

Posted on April 25, 2012 by shoshwrites3

Unpacking one’s possessions is a process of discovery. Or rather, rediscovery. I’ve moved often enough in my life, packing and unpacking many of the same things, so this shouldn’t come as a surprise. Each time I pack, I weed out … Continue reading →

Posted in Moving, New Beginning, Personal Memoir, Personal Property | Tagged California, Downscaling, fire, Germany, Israel, Jewish, kibbutz Ketura, mementos, Mexico, moving, my life, objects as memories, personal memoir, Russia, Russian, tchochkes, Turkey | Leave a comment

Moving again (92)

Posted on February 17, 2012 by shoshwrites3

Just as the inspections and appraisals and mortgage applications start to wrap up and life becomes a little less bogged down with the bureaucracy of real estate transactions, I begin to get sentimental about the house I’m leaving. I haven’t … Continue reading →

Posted in Moving, My Life, New Beginning, Personal Memoir | Tagged academia, Allegheny College, army brat, Austin, buying a house, California, college, daughter, DeKalb, divorce, dogs, empty nest, fire, Germany, house hunting, Illinois, Indiana, Lafayette, Loma Linda, Lubbock, Meadville, moving, my life, Northern Illinois University, Oswego, Pennsylvania, personal memoir, pets, Purdue, rescue dogs, Rockford, selling a house, Texas Tech University | Leave a comment

Renter no more! (81)

Posted on December 11, 2011 by shoshwrites3

I am now officially free of the whole rental experience from the last 5 months. I couldn’t totally relax or delete it from my memory until I got the rental deposit check to put into my bank account. The landlord … Continue reading →

Posted in Renting | Tagged California, karma, landlady, landlord, my life, personal memoir, real estate, realtors, Renting | 2 Comments

A Thankful Thanksgiving (80)

Posted on November 27, 2011 by shoshwrites3

I am thankful for much in my life – foremost my son and daughter, followed by friends, family, and dogs (and not always in that order). This Thanksgiving I am also very thankful to be living in my own house … Continue reading →

Posted in Buying a House, California, Daughter, House, My Life, New Beginning, Personal Memoir, Son, Thanksgiving, Uncategorized | Tagged California, contractor, daughter, dogs, empty nest, family, fire, Germany, house, house ownership, insurance, materialism, money, my life, personal memoir, son, spirituality, starting over, Thanksgiving | 1 Comment

How much house do I really need? (63)

Posted on September 25, 2011 by shoshwrites3

“Buy the biggest house you can!” That was the advice friends gave me when I was about to move to Austin from California 7 ½ years ago. Back then, California real estate was going through a record-breaking soar in prices; Austin was … Continue reading →

Posted in Austin, Buying a House, California, Change, Downscaling, House Fire, My Life, New Beginning, Personal Memoir, Personal Property | Tagged Austin, California, dogs, Downscaling, empty nest, fire, furniture, house, my life, personal memoir, realtors, simplicity, simplify, small houses | Leave a comment

Nine eleven eleven (59)

Posted on September 11, 2011 by shoshwrites3

Today is a day for memories and reflection. After another night of too little sleep, I lay in bed, too tired to get up, and turned on the radio. NPR was broadcasting the ceremony from Ground Zero, where the families … Continue reading →

Posted in Austin, California, Change, Family, Germany, Jewish, My Life, New Beginning, Personal Memoir, San Bernardino, Travel, Turkey, Uncategorized | Tagged 9/11, bilingual, California, dual citizenship, family, German, Germany, immigration, Muslim, my life, personal memoir, Ramadan, Ramazan, Turkey, Turkish, visa | 2 Comments

A love-hate relationship with fire (57)

Posted on September 6, 2011 by shoshwrites3

Texas is burning up. A record-breaking stretch of 100+ degree days with very little rain makes good kindling for fire. Certainly the yard at my house, with no sprinkling system to use in the dead of night when no one’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Austin, Buying a House, California, Firefighters, House Fire, My Life, Personal Memoir, Uncategorized | Tagged bonfire, California, camp, candles, fire, fire stories, fireplace, my life, personal memoir | Leave a comment

Looking ahead (44)

Posted on August 10, 2011 by shoshwrites3

I may be living in a rental house and rebuilding my own house, but I’m already looking ahead to the day I find a house to start fresh. Once or twice a week I receive “Property Matches” to view from my … Continue reading →

Posted in Austin, Buying a House, California, Daughter, Downscaling, My Life, New Beginning, Personal Memoir, Realtors, Son, Travel | Tagged Austin, California, daughter, house, my life, New York City, personal memoir, realtors, sister, son | Leave a comment

Everybody has a fire story (36)

Posted on August 1, 2011 by shoshwrites3

When you go through an important event, especially a loss, it’s almost as if you become a member of an exclusive new club. Everyone who has had a similar experience shares it with you. When I suffered a miscarriage, many … Continue reading →

Posted in California, Colleagues, House Fire, My Life, Old Fire, Personal Memoir, San Bernardino | Tagged California, fire, fire stories, my life, Old Fire, personal memoir, reactions, San Bernardino | 10 Comments

Delayed Reactions (23)

Posted on July 18, 2011 by shoshwrites3

Family, close friends, and colleagues heard about my house fire very quickly. Now that I’m writing a blog about my house fire and how it is affecting my life, I want readers. It’s still a bit scary to put my … Continue reading →

Posted in Blogging, Colleagues, Facebook, Friends, House Fire, Jewish, My Life, New Beginning, Personal Memoir, Relationships, Social Media, Uncategorized | Tagged California, facebook, fire, friends, Germany, Jewish, my life, personal memoir, reactions, teaching, Texas | 3 Comments