History repeats itself…

Was it really almost four years ago that we said goodbye to OpenDiary?  So much has changed, and yet here we are again…and it feels new and different, but at the same time familiar and kind of comfortable.

Some of you have kept up with me on PB, but I’ve been a reluctant writer the past few years so here are the bullet points for those who (understandably) checked out:

• We moved to Arizona in early 2015.
• It’s taken me almost three years to adjust to the move, but I’m learning to love it here – except it July when it’s 1,000 degrees and I can’t go outside barefoot to get the mail without injuring myself!
• I’m still homeschooling the kids – D is 11 and in 6th grade, and S is 10 and in 5th.
• I left the homeschool group we’d been a part of forever (we were with another branch in GA, but the same basic stuff) because shit got crazy during the election and I realized I didn’t share their values.  AT ALL.  So we’re doing independent stuff this year and having a great time!
• D wants to go to school next year, so we’ve applied to get him into a classical charter school nearby.  We’ll find out in January if he got in.
• In the last year, I have gotten a daith piercing, had a large octopus tattooed on my back, and dyed my hair purple.  In other words, I refuse to age gracefully.
• Last but not least, my mother decided to move here from FL to be closer to us.  She’s in a retirement home about 20 minutes from us, and I have had to learn how to assert myself and enforce boundaries.  It’s been a learning curve for everyone involved.  (Sigh.)

That’s pretty much it.  I hope to be around more frequently, and hopefully to see more and more familiar faces pop up in my feed!  I’m sure some of my old faves are gone for good, but it would be nice to hear from anyone who I haven’t been in touch with since OD shut down…