I wonder how many posts have started this way.  What is awhile?  For this post that means almost three years.  That seems more than awhile and closer to a long time, but my mind tends to often associate life events and time with lyrics and I love the Staind song more than the Boston song so here we are – it’s been “awhile” folks.

There is a long story to this missing timeframe in my online presence, but I’ll make it a short story.  The short story is the medium sized global company I worked for in NY got bought by a much larger global company who decided to break the company up, consolidate operations, and sell off certain business units. 

A local factory in a small town with a one-hundred-year history was now going to close over a two year period.  Some employees would stay on with the company but have to relocate, most would lose their jobs, and a few of us became employees of another company as a result of a product line being sold off.  I happened to be one of the employees who now work for a new company, in a brand new factory, and in a brand new state. More importantly, I’m blessed to still have a job and with the same familiar product I’ve been supporting for the last 12 years. Still… changes.

That’s the short story. It has been a crazy two years closing down one facility, being part of another being built, and relocating my family but it’s done and now I’m catching my breath. Yes, even during this entire pandemic we’re living through.

So why today?  I miss writing and despite the increased work load in my day job, I have more time.  And I have stories. It’s funny how despite not writing, the stories remain in my head. So here we go again.

A New Life

So where am I calling home these days?  The South Carolina Lowcountry. 

Southern hospitality, sunshine, beaches, salt life, sweet tea, planned communities, great trails, plenty of local craft beer, more restaurants than I will ever be able to eat at, and a dish I will put right up there with tacos – shrimp and grits. Who knew?

I’m going to be OK.

B