Why San Diego is Better than Alexandria (and vice versa)

As many of our friends and family know, we have been tossing around the idea of eventually moving to San Diego to live full-time, making occasional forays to the east coast: essentially reversing our polarities, so to speak. It's not an easy decision, despite our occasional certainties, which generally occur in the middle of the sauna that passes for a Virginia summer--or in mid- deep freeze, when we are inundated with the third major snowfall of the season. At those times, only total idiots would swear allegiance to the East.

For years, any move was forestalled by aging parents or existing jobs or other long-standing obligations. Either or both of us were embroiled in organizations or activities that we could not easily back out of. But now..retirement has freed us. Responsibilities are less immediate, and we have gradually disentangled ourselves from organizational hog-tying. Even the real estate market has calmed a bit. So, now what?

San Diego is a great place to live. The climate is outstanding, the current drought notwithstanding. With some exceptions, the temperatures are pleasant and the humidity negligible all year round. There is no snow. No more last-minute changes of plan due to weather emergencies. It's a beautiful place. Flowers, trees, the ocean and beaches are scenic wonders. Even our yard there is pretty scenic with its bougainvillea and its fountain. We have friends there; we like the library; we like the restaurants. We know our way around. It is--in its own way--home.

But, on the other coast (the other hand), Alexandria is home, too. There is no place prettier in the spring or fall, and the more unpleasant seasons are the price we pay. Watching the world come to life each spring is the reward for all that snow-shoveling. And never being here for the Scottish Walk? Inconceivable!

And there are all sorts of other things to do: theater (okay, SD has that too); proximity to NY (and no, Los Angeles is not in the same league); our docent standing at the Folger Shakespeare Library where we can each do a stand-up tour of any sort at the drop of a hat; our church (where we have friends who are family and more); actual family and non-church friends in fairly close proximity for all the holiday gatherings...Well, let's just say that Alexandria has its charms. While we can build new personae in SD, we are already established here.

And so we have made our home on the horns of this particular dilemma--temporarily. We have considered remaining bi-coastal, only with the emphasis on  the west: moving to that end and selling our current house here and establishing a pied-à-terre in Alexandria for extended visits in the spring or fall or holiday season. That would have us engaging in an extended course of fence-sitting, but there are worse fates. We could also throw up our hands, become California residents, and stay in hotels for any extended visits east. We could invest in prominent welcome mats for our eastern friends, to be installed  at all entrances of the California abode:

“Give me your tired, your poor, 
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, 
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. 
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed, to me: 
I lift my lamp beside the golden door.”

But no, I think that's been used already...