This is a transcript of the diary I kept during the first years of our transition to the mountains. We had lived in Orange County, CA for the past 20 years and decided to check out property in Bass Lake, CA where we had vacationed for several years.

Progress
A flurry of paperwork and phone calls fill the weeks before we can come up again.  Larry investigated wells and electric service and we learned about elderberries and red legged frogs. Neither would be allowed to be bothered when we bought the place. We stayed at Russ’s cabin again and enjoy the wood stove.  I wonder about the work involved making such a large woodpile on Russ’s porch.  I putter around while they ride, doing a bit of raking and trimming. 

We show Russ and Bob the place.  Russ says “If this is what you want, we’ll make it work”.  He was referring to all the site prep:  water, septic, electric, grading, etc.  That gave me a lot of comfort, although Larry says we won’t depend too much on our friends.  Don and Marcie walked us around “our” place.  They walk the dogs quite a bit here and we say by all means continue.  We like them very much-very welcoming. 

 I measure the property and make a scale map.  We wait for escrow to close. 

Setbacks
Our dreams are knocked out of our heads on November 10.  Our daughter, Jolie has been struck by a car which badly broke both legs. We are plunged into emergency mode. 

 It will be months before she recovers- and before we will be able to leave her to come back to the lake. 

 Geoff, the Real Estate agent, holds our hands through the escrow process and we make the deadline of December 5….barely.  But the land is ours.