I am finding the start of this hard.
I am an older (79 years) white American, born in Sacramento, California, and livine in Big Sur, Callifornia since the late 1960s. I am inspired to this by an Iraq family who have a whole group of blogs, and are an beacon for alll of us.
History:Raised in Berkeley, went to Cal for many years, worked in my father's clothing store for years, then was in the same business with my brother. After 21 years and four childern I knew I should by a lawyer, so my then wife and I went to night law school for 4 years and became lawyers. So after 25 years, I left the retail business. When my first marrage broke up, after 20 years, I spent some time in a commune in Berkeley with my three older children, and then moved to Big Sur with two of my children. While living here I met my present wife, of over 30 years, and dof course the childre grew up. My youngest child is married to a Grandmother...which makes me a great-grandfather. I sure remember how old my grandparents were when they were in their 60s, so how must my grandchildrren see me. Inside I am still about 16, but a little more discrete, or maybe jaded, no that is wrong, how about aware...maybe.
Meanwhile, it has been raining all day(that is winter in California) and I love it. We heat the house with a wood stove and it feels snug and comfy. If it keeps raining, the road in and out of Big Sur will have some landslides and be closed, For a Day, a Week a Month..it is all good. We once had the road near our house closed in both directions for several months. That is a way to get rid of the people who "shouldnt" be here.(in who's judgment??) We get our grocery in Monterey, which is 30 miles to the north...not quite walking distance.