Leaving the Village

I'm at the Starbucks in the Del Monte Center, Monterey, saying good-bye. I've spent a lot of time here over the last nine months. It's crowded as ever, being a Saturday. The weather is prime, just right, and people are enjoying sunning themselves as they walk their dogs and children along the outdoor retail shops. Seagulls land here and there, reminding me I'm near the ocean.

I'll miss the Monterey Peninsula's beauty and wonderful weather. But it's time for me to move on. The road is calling me back like an old friend. I'll travel to Las Vegas next week.

I travel light, so packing is really no big deal. I usually purchase what I need when staying in a place for more than a week or two. The nine months I've spent here is the longest period of time I've stayed in any one place. I've got art supplies and a few odds and ends I'll keep, but most of the junk I've collected threw the winter I'm donating to Goodwill.

The photo at left was taken just before I began packing. My small art studio served me just fine, though there were some drawbacks. Occasionally a rock band renting space down the hall would rehearse and drive me nuts. And once a week the cook in the market located downstairs would smoke meats out in the alley outside my window, blowing smoke into my office. But for the most part it was a pleasant nine months of concentrating on my art and my writing.