In the throes

 . . . of trying to decide where to live.  We have until August to move, but we'll be vacationing in the days ahead and were hoping to have the decision made before we packed the car. I'm realizing we may have a missed a window of opportunity with the glut of June rentals available. My nails have been nibbled to nubbins, and my knowledge of Google earth has vastly increased as I study alternatives. What we have to decide between:

Do we rent another cheap, small house in the suburbs so we can send the kids to Catholic school, but dad has to commute 30-40 minutes each way?

Do we pay exorbitant rent to live a bike ride from work, a few blocks from a great public school, and a mile or so from the beach on an island where people come on their honeymoons? It would be like vacation all year long. But we'd sacrifice on house size and comfort and spending money and Catholic education.

Do we rent a normal sized house in the "good" suburbs and maybe send the younger kids to Catholic school while the older kids go to a good, but enormous public school?  

Do we buy a house in this "good" suburb in order to earn equity and have a future investment property?  We haven't bought a house for 10 years because we don't live any place long enough and because we almost lost a bunch of money on the last purchase.  We could qualify for more financial aid if we had a mortgage, and we'd have a tax deduction. Financially, this might be the best option. 

The kids and my husband all want to live on the island. I fear we are being imprudent, but I am also famous for being notoriously thrifty. 

Sunday's gospel about weathering storms was comforting, but it didn't provide a clear answer. Each option has pros and cons.  Life would be so much easier if God just sent a direct message...

In the meantime, I have done some, but just a little, reading.  I enjoyed David Lodge's Paradise News while reading it, but would give it mixed reviews because of its content. I could not finish Doris Lessing's Golden Notebook or Martin Amis' Zone of Interest, both about WWII, and both too dark. I pretty much struck out with the books I got at the library.  Almost done with Pope Francis' The Church of Mercy and then I need to pick out vacation reading. 

Photo Journal

... Twas June, when brides and roses bloom.

Nineteen years ago I was a June bride.  We celebrated our anniversary with family - the last day of our visit with the grandparents, who came to town for a graduation.

One of the valedictorians. 

A silly goodbye to the grandparents. 

A swarm of bees invaded our outdoor grill

The local bee club president came to remove them easily

Me in a tree

Daddy daughter surfing

Feeding the rock squirrels

Pop's new hat -- a creative way to reuse blue jeans. Made in America

A birthday gift. 

A hospitality gift

A gift from God

a last track meet for a few years

Awards all around

A field trip to Anacapa Island

Gulls aren't so annoying in their native nesting ground

Innocence - a gull chick

The Channel Islands

Another milestonne

My own milestone