The 5:30 a.m. Run Test

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This is the view I see each morning as I head out for my early morning run.

Or, more accurately, it's the view I used to see. We're moving again.

Unlike past moves, we didn't have a compelling reason to stay in the same part of San Diego, which gave us plenty of options. Since this move represents a major downsize, I initially had my heart set on a downtown condo. Then one morning I picked up a friend at 5 a.m. at her downtown loft and, in addition to the vagrants, two young guys walking down the street saw me get out of my car and slid into a deep door frame. I can't prove they were waiting for me to walk by because I didn't give them the opportunity. Instead, I got back in my car, locked it and called my friend on my cell. I also checked downtown off the potential housing list that day.

Then a lot of people recommended another trendy urban area not far from where I work. The problem, though, was that several blocks of neat bungalows always bumped up against shady sections. I asked several people if it was safe to run early in the morning, and they said yes -- if I drove to the other side of town.

I always liked the East County vibe, but we have Grandma now and she wilts in the heat. I didn't want to go any farther north either because I already have a kinda long commute. South Bay's too far for my husband's commute. And we couldn't get much bang for the buck moving closer to the beach.

So in the end, we picked a condo a mile from where we live now. It's cute; it's safe; and it's perfect for our current household. There's even a little waterfall outside our patio where Grandma can sit and read the papers while nursing her morning coffee. And it's three bedrooms, so there's still room for our grown daughters to come home to. As a bonus for them (and maybe me), one of the complex pools is a stone's throw from our unit. The town center now is within walking distance, as is the public library and a police station. My favorite trails are a little farther, but the 56 bikepath is much closer.

So for the next two weeks we'll continue to sort, sell, donate, chuck, store and relocate all of our worldly possessions and then clean up our old home while becoming more acquainted with the new one. I think we're going to like it here, and especially when it's 5:30 a.m. and I'm ready to run again.

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