The longest Beloved and I have lived in one place since our marriage nearly 24 years ago was 8 years in Urbana, IL while he was in grad school. Actually, that’s not totally true as we lived in Champaign, IL for one year before moving to the other side of “town” and being in Urbana.

We’ve been here almost six years and in the last year, I’ve been realizing that soon we’ll have lived here longer than our last place and we never thought we’d leave there. I love Baton Rouge, and five years ago, I didn’t know I would ever say that.

I have more real friends here than I did in our last place where we lived six years. Closer friends. Friends I have actually gone to lunch or out for coffee with. Writing friends who understand me. I have a great little niche here and I’m happy.

Beloved’s parents moved here over a year ago, so we now have family here. The Boy barely remembers PA so this is home in so many ways.

Now, with the economy there is a lot of talk of budget cuts at LSU and Beloved is a little concerned that since he’s not faculty and research is one of the things that is going to be cut.

It’s a joke in our family that Nancy and her husband can’t stay in one place for too long, and that the Boy will never go to the same high school the Girl did.

In Pennsylvania, the pharmacist at our drug store knew me by name and knew all the drugs I take for my transplant. Her husband had kidney issues and we’d often talk about dialysis and transplant and all that. When we moved her and transferred the prescriptions, the pharmacist her said she sent me her best.

A few years ago, we moved to a different drug store due to our dissatisfaction with the customer service. Today, I went into our “new” one, and before I could ask for my prescriptions, the woman behind the pharmacy counter knew my name and also knew that I often pick up Rxs for more than just myself (both the Boy and the Girl take prescription medicine). She didn’t even ask for my address for confirmation.

I’m wondering if that means we’ve lived her too long!

Of course, my daughter said it’s better than the people at Cane’s Chicken Fingers knowing my name and my regular order! Maybe if that ever happens, we’ll need to move!