Greetings from DeKalb, Illinois

It's been (almost) a week since I've moved to DeKalb. Yeah, it's a little strange, and there have been some weird moments...like looking up from my dining room table and seeing my furniture in a different house...but all in all this first week has been a good one.

Last week was a whirlwind. I can't thank my best friend Tim enough for the support and the help. Without him, I doubt I'd have made it out here.

Sure, there were some emotional moments before I left Pittsburgh. Going out to see My Kid was...difficult, to say the least. Leaving the nursing home, I had my dark glasses on for some time, so no one could see my red eyes.

Yet I didn't shed any tears when I left my brother's place after Thanksgiving. I haven't felt any love or support from them during the last few weeks since I first told them I was moving. I could understand my one brother's concern, that I was losing my "safety net", but really, at some point before, they'd all left home with no guarantees, no safety net. Who am I to do any different?

We've talked about this before, Julie, Tim and I. The consensus is that they've had me to take care of The Kid for so long, now with me gone, they've gotta pick up the slack and, y'know, visit her more than once a month, if that.

Tim and I picked up the truck Thanksgiving morning and loaded a few things, like my bed, on it before going off for our respective dinners. Slept on my couch that night. Friday morning came and I started putting boxes on the truck before Tim, his parents, and his kids came over to help.

Notice please the lack of my brothers in that statement. They were all too busy to come help me move. Kinda shows who I can count on, doesn't it?

We got the truck loaded in about three hours, not too bad for two 41 year olds, a couple of pre-teenagers, and two septuagenarians. After that, Tim's parents took his kids off to dinner, while I took one last look around.

I can't begin to describe the emotions, the feelings, of seeing my old home empty, bare to the walls. Some of you have seen the photos...imagine standing there, in a place you'd spent your entire life...

Yeah. I'll leave that thought alone.

We woke up around 2AM Eastern time and got ready to hit the road. To save a bit of cash, I decided to drive my car and Tim'd just drive the truck, instead of getting a trailer hitch. Well, seems the anti-freeze is low in my car, and my car was a wee bit on the chilly side. Every rest stop would find me haulin' ass into the rest stop to warm up, and buying hot coffee or tea to drink to keep me warm. I'll have to check and see why my anti-freeze is low soon...it can get chilly out here, and having no heat in a 12 year old car is not a good thing.

Got into Dekalb about 11AM, Central time. I called Tim and told him to pull into Schnucks' parking lot...I had someone I had to see. Bought a dozen roses, went over to the Deli department, and asked for Julie.

From the hug and the kiss, you'd think she was happy to see me. Either that, or she just wanted the flowers.

Between her, the kids, and our friends, we had about a dozen people to unload the truck. To give Tim some rest, he stayed in the truck and unloaded. I was in the house and directed. Organized chaos, to be sure, but we got everything off in about an hour. I'm so thankful for Julie, the kids and our friends...they were there for me when my family couldn't.

Gee, think I'm a little bitter?

After everything was unloaded and somewhat organized (we had the place about 80% setup), it was time for the party at Fatty's. Fatty's is to Dekalb as Primanti's is to Pittsburgh, except instead of slaw and fries on the sammich, they've got a killer Cajun Potato Salad. Good times, good food, good friends. Tim just fit in (but I knew he would), and we all had a good time.

Sunday came, and so did the snow. The weather, while cold, was pretty much perfect the last couple days, but Sunday was the first significant snow in the region. We got Tim to O'Hare (he only had a three hour delay to look forward to) in plenty of time. Farewells, safe journeys and hugs were shared, and then Julie and I went home.

That's what DeKalb is now. It's home. I'm here with Julie at her place (long story short, I still don't have Internet over at my place, since Comcast sucks and Verizon will need another week to get my DSL up and running), but we're headed over to my place soon.

This is where I belong. This is where I'm loved. If you'd told me a year ago I'd be spending the first Friday in December in a high school gymnasium in the Midwest, watching a basketball game, I'd have laughed in your face...but that's where I was tonight, with Julie and a couple of the kids watching DeKalb take on Kaneland (and win). It was good. It was fun.

Right now, the focus is on getting a job. I want to work. I've been off the clock for too long. I've been applying everywhere, from businesses looking for a good geek to Barnes and Noble and JC Pennys.

Julie is amazing. She's wonderful. The light of my life and my true love. I'm just so happy being with her...knowing that I don't have to drive 9 hours to see her, that I can walk across the street to be with her is the happiest feeling I have ever known.

The photo at the top of this blog is of Pittsburgh, and while it's my home town, it's not my home anymore. I'll change it at some point...I have a good idea what I want to put up there next...but all that matters is that I'm home, where I'm welcomed, I'm cared for and I'm loved.

What more could anyone ask for?