El and I drove up to Temple this morning. We put forth our best effort, and came up short in finding a room for rent for your humble narrator. Apartments and motels alike had an average of $1300/month for rooms to rent for short periods (their ‘corporate rates’). We begged people, but no luck.
So, we’ve decided that we’re going to go ahead and just sign a new lease for an apartment in Temple. It’s going to be rough for two months. But, just to give you an idea, a comparable apartment to the one in which we live now, in Temple, is $300 less than what we pay in Austin.
In doing this, I think it will be easier for us in the long run. We’ll already have “our place” in Temple when Elise moves up there with me in May. We won’t have to move stuff twice (moving into a room for rent, then moving into our apartment). And I can bring up my computer, more clothes, a TV, stereo, etc. etc.
Scott & White pretty much owns Temple. Everywhere you turn, there’s either a hospital, clinic or annex building. The good thing about this is that S&W is a ‘preferred employer’ meaning we get discounts on rent, among other things, to be determined later. Another plus, is if you’re ever hurt, injured, sick, whatever, it’s a stones throw from a Scott & White facility.
El and I had lunch at the Dairy Queen. Reminded me of Brenham. For those of you whom I didn’t know in high school, Brenham is a small town neighboring Bellville – where I went to high school. There were three old men, sitting and having coffee (an obvious daily ritual because they showed up at the same time, by different means) and talking about local sports and news.
Elise was on the phone with an apartment complex trying to get directions. The two older ladies sitting near us obviously overheard her conversation because when Elise hung up, one of the ladies spoke up and gave us better directions. Everyone seems to be really friendly and outgoing.
We stopped outside the Temple Daily Telegram to pick up a newspaper and check the classifieds.
We swung by the ol’ Temple Chamber of Commerce. Geez, I was astonished by all of the friendly “Welcome to Temple, so glad you’re here, you’re going to love it here!!!” Having said that, the lady we spoke with in the C of C handed me a 20 pound bag of ‘Temple goodies’: a phone book, map, coupons, visitors guide… all the goods.
Well, we won’t have all of the big city bright lights anymore, but if we ever get bored, I’m sure we can hit the local taco stand and get in on some good conversation.
I’m getting pretty nervous about starting my new job. I’m getting double nervous about the financial strain we’re about to endure. I know El is nervous about moving to a ‘small town’ and trying to find a job. But, we have each other – in good times and in bad, for richer, for poorer. I don’t care where we have to move, as long as I have my El, I’m the richest man in the world.