I’m staying for the month in a vintage 1950s seaside apartment building in La Jolla, CA with a panoramic view of the ocean and walking distance to everything I need. I parked my car on the street a week ago and haven’t used it since. In fact, this is the first time since I left Incline Village that I feel I’m somewhat settled, nestled into a home if even for only a short period of time. What I mean by that is that I feel so comfortable in my space I don’t feel compelled to have to leave it, although I do because I enjoy the exercise and fresh air.

I went to my first yoga class in two years and I bought tickets to a couple of local music concerts — I can walk to all of it. Then, of course, there is the endless rugged coastline with miles of walking paths where I can stop and watch the families of sea lions sunbathing or body surfing on the huge waves. One did a major mid-air flip off the top of a wave the other day. It’s fun to watch them frolic in the water. I’m in awe at how loud the constant roar of the ocean is as the waves crash and can get mesmerized by watching the waves. People simply sit on their lawn chairs to watch and listen to the ocean. My next challenge for myself is making a commitment to using my golf clubs.

I’ve been reflecting on what I’ve been learning so far on my journey. I have learned that I can live in fairly small places and don’t need very many “things”. Everything that is packed in my car is way too much. I’m learning to live with some amount of disorganization. It is a constant struggle to keep my things organized moving all the time, but the Fiona in me says “to hell with it”, LoL! So, I accept when I can’t find something and I turn a blind eye to having my space be a bit messy and cluttered. That is a big lesson for me who has always liked having things in their “right” place with no clutter. One recurring question in my mind is, why doesn’t my stuff fit back in my car as perfectly as it did the first time??? It’s all the same stuff yet it’s a battle getting it back in there, sigh.

I have confirmed to myself in no uncertain terms that wherever I live, I have to have a full view to outside. I have realized that unless I can see outside, I cannot feel relaxed being inside. Personally, I think that’s quite insightful and wonder where that comes from. I came to realize this having stayed in the Reno house where the windows were high up and there were no real windows to look out the front of the house and comparing that to this apartment. I never sat and relaxed in the Reno house because it felt confining to me. I realized what I loved about my homes in Incline Village and Tiburon is that I had full views to outside seeing nature spread out before me.