Whenever I talk to someone about having moved recently and they ask me why and I have to say that I just wanted to, they always say something like, “You’re so brave!” as though it’s a big deal to move halfway across the country to a place you’ve visited once and have no ties to, just because you felt like it and the opportunity arose. And I guess it is kind of crazy. Every so often, I find myself astounded that I actually did this, and I wonder if I made the right move.

And then I look at the weather report and the crime reports from my old home and I’m pretty sure I did make the right move.

But it’s struck me that this is the kind of thing people write memoirs about — in middle age, uprooting and starting life all over again in a new place. I just need some kind of arc beyond simply moving and continuing with life in order to make a sellable story out of it. I’ll have to find some new passion, new direction, romance, or something really funny. So far, though, it’s mostly been just continuing with life, but I haven’t even been here a month yet. I’ve barely learned my way around to major stuff like the grocery stores.

I have started trying to do some of the activities that are the reason I came here. I’ve gone to the farmers market, and this week they started the weekly band concerts at the bandstand in the park near my house. This is apparently the oldest continually operating community band in the nation. They do concerts at their bandstand in the park every Monday night during the summer. This week’s concert was music from Disney movies (including Star Wars and Marvel). It was a lovely evening sitting out in the park, listening to music and watching the kids run around. Then I saw fireflies when I walked home. It’s nice to have things to do within walking distance or just a short drive. There was a lot to do in the Dallas area, but most of it required getting on a freeway and driving for half an hour in bad traffic through areas prone to road rage or drive-by shootings.

So, what kind of story arc do I need to look for so I can write a bestselling memoir about uprooting my life? I don’t think I want to start a bakery or coffee shop or bookstore (there are so many already here). This is basically a town out of a Hallmark movie, so maybe I need to find a flannel-wearing local guy. I’m not a typical city girl, though. I’m not likely to freak out because there’s wildlife in the town (I saw a deer just down the street last week) or try to teeter around on the hilly streets in high heels. I want to do more outdoorsy stuff, since I’m so close to the mountains. Maybe my arc is going from city girl to nature-loving outdoorsy person — from the red stilettos to hiking boots. Except I owned hiking boots before I bought the stilettos, and I haven’t worn the stilettos in nearly a decade because I messed up a knee and can’t wear heels (and haven’t had a good occasion to wear them).

I have promised myself that I will go to the mountains later this week or this weekend if I get my work done. I see the Blue Ridge mountains off in the distance when I go shopping, and as I come home I can see the Shenandoah mountains. I’m so close to the Blue Ridge Parkway, so I need to go there soon. I’m also really close to the Appalachian Trail (but the memoir about that has already been written).

I could do one of those history travel memoir things, exploring the early years of this country and putting that in context with my life. There are sites from the Civil War and the Revolution nearby, and I could contrast all this history with life in the Texas suburbs.

Or I could stick to writing fantasy novels. This basically is a larger, newer version of Rydding Village. I’m even surrounded by mostly single women. It’s just food for thought to imagine what difference in my life this move can mean.