Visiting

Just so you know, this post contains nothing about LA, but it is all part of the story. And sometimes finding our place requires that we go home for a while too.

I’m writing this from 36,000 feet in the air, and despite the hectic pace of the past several days this week has been full of great things. When we pulled into the airport his afternoon to head home from our trip, it dawned on me that I am getting far too comfortable with airports these days, but sometimes you have to leave where you are to see the things that mean the most to you, and airplanes are awfully handy when you live thousands of miles away from those things.

I spent the majority of my week in PA where I got to spend quality time with my brother’s newest little addition. She is precious, just like her brother and sister who entertained me on my trip with Old Maid and a preschool field trip to a farm as well as conversations about the merit of freckles and the need for my six year old nephew to “do something with his hair” because he thinks he “looks like Vincent Van Gogh.”

My time at home also included a trip to Labadie Looms, the place where I first learned to spin yarn, and where my mom and I found more wonderful fibers to spin up. I also ventured out for my first facial,and I have to admit that I had never really seen the appeal ( no pun intended), especially given that my answer to “What is your skincare regimen?” is “Nothing.” But after lying there for 50 minutes with someone massaging wonderful lotions on your face, neck, and arms, the appeal becomes decidedly evident.

I also got to go up to NYC during my time back East to see my brother’s solo act, Via Linota, perform at New York City’s oldest Rock Club, The Bitter End. No matter where you are in the world, there is nothing quite like the energy of NYC, and I love getting to merge into it all. We got to catch up with some friends while we were there and really had a delightful time all around. The food at Arturo’s was great, and the performance was equally exciting.

Later in the week, I left for Boulder where I met up with Rodney. We went back to empty our storage unit and start the process of having all of our belongings moved to LA. It was an interesting day as I watched them unload things I had not seen in a year and a half and some things Rodney had never seen because they were well in the back of that storage unit before we ever got married. Relationship to stuff is a funny thing. I find it both intriguing and stressful. While I loved to see my shoes and books and my keyboard, I also realized that I was now going to have to find a place to put them. But we are just so glad to no longer be storage unit renters. I think that might be one of the more freeing moments I have had in the last year. There is something about having everything in one place that makes it easier to breathe. I can say that now because I am not crawling over boxes in our new house, and I may have a different perspective come Thursday when the truck arrives, but I’ll be sure to let you know if I do.

But Boulder was certainly not all work. We were able to spend time with good friends playing Settlers of Catan, a game I am not sure I really have the focus to master, but one that I think is fun nonetheless. We were also able to make it into Boulder to eat some of our favorite foods at the Boulder Farmer’s Market. If you are in Boulder, you really do owe it to yourself to get both a gyro and Sister’s Pantry Dumplings. They are worth all of the parking headaches, and getting to eat them outside in the cool crisp fall air surrounded by yellow-leaved trees is pretty much perfect.

In the evening we were so thrilled to meet up with a lot of our wonderful friends whom we have missed. We hung out at Southern Sun, and it was so nice to see them and hear what everyone is up to. We felt truly blessed, and after months in a new town, it was such a treat to be surrounded by friendly faces we know well and care so much about. Thanks all.

The weekend ended on a delightful note. With an overcast sky and very fallish weather, we went to Lyons with some dear friends and spent the day brunching, drinking coffee, and kicking around the cute little town. After all of the rushing, a quiet “vacationy” day was just what we need. Many thanks.

So, we are getting ready to descend from 36,000 feet, and I know that when I land, another crazy week awaits as I work on a midterm and get the house ready and have all of our stuff delivered. But it’s good crazy. It’s the crazy that is made up of a life that is full of things like family, friends, learning, employment, and coffee. And that's a good life.