Cruz

[Drunk Monk]

Once you live back in SC for a while you are going to get used to it and never be able to leave.

After just 2.5 days of living here, I don't want to leave. The Cruz was the land of my greatest failure - dropping out of my PhD program tarnished my feelings about this place. But that was a quarter century ago, and coming back feels so right this time.

Or pitch a tent in my yard more likely.

I have been trying - TRYING - not to think of this as a euphemism. But living is tight here in the Cruz and the same goes for the new DOOM Beach Bungalow, if any of you want to visit. I wasn't kidding when I said I have to stand in the shower to pee. I also have to sit side-saddle to poop.

And now, the awaited data, as requested by master ED (I suggest you check it out on Google street view because you'll be able to see the dimensional rift quite clearly):
535 Windham, Santa Cruz 831-427-9034
Also swapping email to: <!-- e --><a href="mailto:geneching@gmail.com">geneching@gmail.com</a><!-- e -->

So the happy hour at Seabright Brewery is from 4-6, and I've been consuming mass quantities of Cruz locally-grown organic delicacies. Almost everything is unpacked but remains to be sorted, which, well, to be honest, I found things that weren't sorted after living at Castle Macbeth for 12 years after moving there, but that was far more spacious. At the Beach Bungalow, if it isn't sorted, I'm stumbling over it to get to my side-saddle potty. The last few days have been Tetris applications, but things have been fitting surprisingly well - like with an inch to spare - and we think we'll only have to let go of one Ikea chair which I never liked anyway. Between the dust and the SC bloom, my allergies have been playing total havoc upon me, which has been very balancing as I've been pretty blissed out in that Cruz way. The weather has been summery, a fine welcome save for the plant sex in my nostrils. Everything is in walking distance: beach, awesome eats, supermarkets, Ace hardware, two dog parks, two tattoo parlors, two head shops, and that brewery. The Rio is just down the street and I can't wait until there's a show there. The Skatalites were playing a short jaunt away and I was sorely tempted as there's still one surviving member there - the sax player who is 77 - but decided to watch netflix instead. Castle MacBeth has had over 20 bids already and is being shown by our property managers. We still have some random stuff there which we need to clear out soon, plus there's a few more repairs to be done. We'll go back on Sunday for the week with the Pom. But the cat is here to stay. She's adjusted to the litter box quite well, but as soon as we get her new tags, I'm going to cut a cat door in the back door.

Oh and about the police - I'm happy to see them about. They are very present downtown and that's great. Keep the tourist riffraff and the UCSC rowdies under close scrutiny. I'm a law-abiding family-man local now.

All is well. Now to adjust to that commute...