Is the Universe trying to tell me something?

These cannot be random occurrences, can they?

Part One:

Since I’ve lived in this 2BR apartment I’ve been happy and have met many a great people in the area including my wife. I started gardening here and began my journey as a steward of nature and this planet we all call home.

We’ve (Erin and I) been feeling like getting out of dodge for a while and finding some land up north (Northern California). There we would build upon it natural buildings and create a living oasis of sorts, including things such as water works, food forests, live stock and host people to share the knowledge we’ve all accrued so as to pass it on to interested parties. Mostly the evolving plan.

We really wanted to do this, but our apartment is so nice, rent is so cheap and the area is so “hip”. I even have a nice area (40′ x 14′) in the back yard to garden in. This makes it hard to make the move out to the land.

Part Two:

I got this place back in June 17th 2005. My Co-worker (we’ll call him) Jack told me, hey the apartment on top of mine is opening up and you can move in there for cheap. I went and saw it and yes it was perfect. Two bedrooms, a great view and a garden? I’ll take it.

Sadly as time progressed in this new found castle of mine, Jack and I grew to be less friends and more umm not friends. I had some parties that he did not appreciate, he would go through my trash. We would work on the garden together and he would take up almost all the land. Back and forth we went until he decided to start being angry Jack. I’m a mellow person, but I’ll also dish out what you do if you get out of line.

It had been several months since we talked at all, his decision. This is the creepy kind of not talking. He would pass me and not even respond when I would say hello. Or if he saw me coming up the drive way he would turn around and quickly get back to his apartment. I was ok with that, not much of a loss in the end. Then one day out of no where (to me at least) when I’m backing out of the drive way I see him staring strangely at me trough his living room window. I waved hello, he gave me the meanest finger I’ve been given in a long time. How odd, I thought to my self and stared dumbfounded as he continued to do this for a good while. I just kept on my marry way and went to work. Later that day I wrote a dry but cordial letter mentioning some things that had “gone unspoken” for the last few months. Things such as you are parking your car to close to mine and I’m afraid I might scratch it one day, please discontinue. He calls me that night and proceeds to call me all sorts of unmentionables. Including how my life would become a living hell until we moved out. Come to find out the old Grinch was pissed because we make to much noise. Last time I checked that’s what happens in a two story apartment. Specially when we leave at 8:15 AM to go to work and walk on the hollow porch that resonates like a gigantic drum. Hence the being flipped off some months back.

That reminded me, we did want to move out, didn’t we? So I got back on the research train and looked for possibilities. But again, our apartment is so nice and the price is so cheap! So again the research went on but at a glacial pace.

Part Three:

So Erin hears through a friend that there is this “commune” style rental opening up Topanga Canyon. We’ve been looking for land there for a while but never really found anything. We decided to give the people a call and check out the place. As soon as we got there we fell in love. Beautiful cottage style place within thirteen acres of land. There is a year round spring there and well water to boot! Their plans for the land reads like my first blog post. Really felt good about it, but as always, the rent is so cheap! So we left telling the people that we needed some time to think about it.

The very next day, I get home from work and Jack is there looking at me right next to my door. He just looks at me and says “hello neighbour”, in that fake friendly and always creepy way only he can manage. I’ll spare you the details of this not so fun conversation. Unless you really want to know. Bottom line he told me if I ever made noise going to work in the morning again he would (wrap your head around this one) get up before I might wake him and if I did create noise enough to wake him would proceed to hose me down as I walk by. Needles to say I called him on the sad logic that was. Being in the position he was in, my comment was not appreciated. He as usual started to get agro so I just closed my door and went about my day. I soon hear him cursing like a drunken sailor outside my window and to make this story not ramble on for ever…. He ends up threatening to kill me if I don’t move out. Something I did not take seriously, but did take as a most egregious insult. What did I do? Well what any reasonable person would. I called the police, filed a report and had them lecture him in normal civic behaviour.

If after all this you would not move out and into this magical paradise, then you my friend are not right in the head. Now, could the Universe not have made the message more clear? MOVE OUT AND INTO THIS MAGICAL PARADISE.

So we will! Tonight we met many more of our new neighbours and are delighted. These people are awesome, and there are so many projects at hand I’m about to burst with anticipatory delight. The path ahead is clear and I can’t wait to share all the trials and tribulations it will entail.