Sunday, October 26, 2008

The Update Post

There's this pipe that I like to use when I'm drunk/ playing board games/ writing (this goes with drunk sometimes...ok most times too). The boyo hates when I use it. It's his, he doesn't use it and I think it was a gift to him from one of his best friends from when she went to Africa. So when I'm sitting here writing... or (to Kat's annoyance) playing a game... you can find me like this:
Heh.

So the new job is going very well. They're throwing all sorts of things at me and I only hope that I'm coping with them well... from the mundane to the not-so (travel arrangements to compiling data). Seriously, these guys have an idea in their heads about what they want and how it's to be done and I can only hope that I'm doing well with it. I'd like to hope that they think..."HEY! I didn't think of that." However, I've not had anything that provides that opportunity. SO... I hope they think that things are as spiffy as I think they are.

So last weekend I went to LA for Leigh's birthday and found myself in one of my favorite rooms in the Beach House. This was my room:



and this was my view:I DO so miss Manhattan Beach from time to time...especially the view of the ocean (it's better from the balcony above, which is where we usually hang out).

I do have pics of people and stuff we did... but then this post would be all pics. I'll post a link later to them once I upload them completely.

So going back to MB was like... I never left. Since Leigh's birthday festivities were for the most part taking part on Friday, it was very much just getting in there. I felt like it was any day when I would hang out with all the kids. It was comfortable and I easily slipped back into the whole thing. I had a great time just talking about things with people...nothing in particular, just... stories of our lives. My friends are GREAT storytellers. I loved hearing all the latest and we even had some "remember when???" times. Saturday found Leigh and I at Ava's soccer game (5 year-olds + soccer = hilarious) then we sat around and talked followed by a walk along the beach into town to sit and have a glass of wine at the bar. Loverly! At 4pm, Dora picked us up for tea and we were off to The Peninsula to have tea with Liz for Leigh's birthday (it's a thing we do). Miss Hannah Leah had her first tea with us. Oh so fun and she told us a great riddle which I greatly appreciated (and helped solve along with Ms. Dora). Sunday found Leigh and I having breakfast with my parents at one of our old spots and then it was off to see my Tias(translation: my Aunts). I loved seeing them. I got to see Bonnie and Ang too (as well as Alex and Robert) so really, it was all good times!

Coming back home was fine and dandy. Taking the train from the airport, I started wondering if I missed the whole thing and came to the conclusion that ... no... no, I wasn't sad to be back. I was happy and I was excited. In as much as I missed LA... there's still the problem of the weather (did it seriously have to be in the mid to upper 80s in October?!) and then there's just the fact that it will always be home... where my family is (and it was very nice to see Linda, Jen, Damien, Ingrid, Chloé, Joe, Clark, Logan, Annie, Ezra, Dylan, Asef and even TIM!... not to mention the already mentioned Hannah, Leigh, Liz, Dora and Ava). Getting off the MAX at the Rose Quarter Transit Cneter to get on the Yellow line that would take me home, I still couldn't help but look around at the unfamiliar familiar surroundings and think, ah but this.... this is me now... and that I know it but still don't know it... I love it!

I loved that I had no idea what the next day would bring and that it's all still so new to me... and that I had a forever of "what next?!" coming up. Does everyone get this when they first move to a new place? Can only a new place after 32 years in the same place bring this perspective? I wonder...

All I know is that I'm having a fabulous time here in Portland and I love that I don't know what's going to happen ...and what my future may bring.

I... LOVE my life!

**UPDATE: Kat I included pics of my room 'cause it was your guest room too and I know how you loved it. The room says hi!

2 comments:

~:{ ... }:~ said...

The only reason I do not like that pipe is that I am convinced that the little face is reading my mind and, in that, it is also helping you cheat at said games. That is all.

I love pipe smoke and miss it...my da used to smoke the loveliest nilla scented tobacco...I associate the smell with cold winter nights in my childhood house--warm, cared for, safe.

Anonymous said...

after all these years, I don't think I have ever been in THAT room. go figs.