Its time to move.

December 4, 2004 I was innocently playing on line Scrabble.  I loved that site.  I could play with some incredibly good players that challenged me.  There was usually some fun dialog in the chat room.  That day, there were a couple of people that were arguing about the gulf war.
As is per my character, I decided to stir the pot.  You can't go around making empty claims and using those to bolster your side.  So I went in and challenged them.  Both sides.  I was having some fun.
In the middle of that, someone I had never heard of sent me a message, "you want to play a game?"
That was the end of my life as I knew it.  Gone were the days of being lonely.  Gone were the days of not feeling wanted.  We played, she was good!  We chatted a little.  Found out we had some things in common.  A couple of days later we were on the phone.  Talked for hours.  I mean hours.
Well the rest is history.  We eventually met, sparks flew, and some time later we were married.  Life has never been the same.  My soul mate.
It has been ten years now.  Rita came to be with me in California.  She left her grown children in Baltimore, and we visited several times.  Our intent was to go back every year. 
In 2008 I had a triple bypass open heart surgery.  I was forced to retire.  There went the ability to visit. 
Since then, we have built up a relatively successful home based business "Little Darlins Nursery" of which this blog is named.  I am so very proud.  We have paid the bills and we have survived.  Had some fun, met some wonderful people.  All in all pretty good.
Rita and I have been planning to move to Baltimore for some time now, but with my job loss, real estate values in the toilet, the economy faltering, it has been really tough.  I am beginning to see why it is so very hard for businesses to pick up and move.  And we don't even have employees.
But we have found ourselves struggling to be able to visit Baltimore.  Our grandson "Bobbers" is getting married.  Hard to imagine.  I am so proud of him.
Getting out there to see all the grandkids has become of vast importance.  We have to be there.  Have to.  We see pictures of the grandkids on facebook and it is hard to imagine they have grown that much.  I can't wait.
So, the goal of moving to Baltimore has become paramount in my mind.  Rita has been out here in California with me for ten years away from her family to be with me.  She helped me raise Kyle (who is now pretty much grown and happily with his mom in Michigan).  It is past time for me to return the favor and bring my bride back to where she came from.  Back to where her heart is.
I look forward to the change.  And it will be drastic.  (What IS all that white stuff on the ground they call snow?)
I have never shoveled snow.  Ever.  I have never seen it snow other than when it melts as it hits the ground.  I have never made a snow angel.  I have never built an igloo (I may let the grandkids do that).
I am looking forward to the adventure.  But I know it will be hard as well.  I will miss my family, though most are spread far and wide now.  I will miss my home with the forty foot back porch. 
But, it is time.  Past time.  Can't wait.  But I worry.  David