Arriving

We were considering moving back to the island but knew it really depended on the availability of housing. We decided to look at some places and see if anything might work (I should point out we're talking rentals here, we could never afford to buy anything on the island). One place did not seem very promising, since we had an idea of where it was and had little interest in being quite so close to the road, but we went to look anyway 'cause that's what you do. When we got there we were surprised to find out it was not the place we were thinking of. The road, which we had passed many, many times before, was actually longer than we realized, and the house we were to look at was at the end of it. The road was narrow, with trees on either side, until it suddenly opened up onto a large field with the marsh stretching away on the right and a little house tucked in the corner on a small rise to the left. We knew right away the place was something special, and we would have to make a decision about whether to live there right away or the opportunity would be gone. 

We've now been here longer than any other place I've ever lived in my life. Every time I drive through this little portal and see that view I feel a pleasant echo of that first incredulity.