In Which Led Zeppelin Plays on Loop in My Head

In the soundtrack of my life, Led Zeppelin looms large. They were hugely popular when I was a child, and their music filtered down into my world via babysitters and uncles and Tommy Stevens down the street. I left them behind for a while in the late 80s; Depeche Mode, New Order, big hair, and tuck-n-roll jeans seemed so ultra-cool then. On behalf of all the 80s kids, I would like to say: we see now that we were wrong about that.

The best music sticks, and in college and grad school I made my way back to the oldies but goodies, including Led Zeppelin. When I hear certain of their songs, I am transported to a country road heading north in Michigan with my brothers, on the way to the Lake. Or to a tiny, dark, and steaming hot apartment in New York City, where I lived with my dear friend, A., during graduate school.

Fast forward to now. I have this song playing in my head nonstop, and here's why:

Last week, we learned that he who is known as Husband is being transferred to the Silicon Valley office of his company. It came as a complete surprise to me, although now that I look back I see that it shouldn't have: the company's headquarters are there, and Husband is a go-getter.

My brain is still catching up with this development, and I suddenly have a very long list of things to do. I am comforted and excited by the fact that I have a brother and sister-in-law, and a nephew and a nephew-to-be, an uncle and aunt and two cousins just my kids' ages, and a dear friend, A., (the same A. I mentioned above) who all live in the Bay Area. We will have People there, thank goodness!

And we will NOT have winter. Dear winter, hasta luego. Don't miss me too much because I won't miss you.

On the other hand, I am sad to think of leaving my friends here, nervous about finding a school for the kids and a house and community for all of us, and overwhelmed by my long to-do list. I trust that all will be well, but there are a million question marks between here and there. My goal is to go one day at a time, one thing at a time. Wish me luck.