texas

With my best friend, it's pretty fantastic.

cities i live in

Baltimore, from Federal Hill.

On our way to the Jonsi concert.

Me, Joy, Zoe. The closest we'd ever been to Jonsi.

Washington, DC just around the corner from my work. 

Dear family, 

Good books, scarves, a decent SLR camera, boots, loose leaf teas, art supplies, a to-go tea infuser, a kite, sweaters--brown is my favorite color, after that burnt yellow and fall orange-- frequent flyer miles, tickets to a play, Scrabble, or anything from etsy.com. 

Love you, see you soon!

some days

I've begun to process leaving here. It makes my heart so sad. Hard to believe that before September 10th I didn't know this family, or this house. I hadn't hung out with Joy or Wendy and didn't know the void it had with them not in it. I had no idea the amazing conversations I'd have with Patti and Steve. The beauty of this place had yet to hit me.

Things are starting to end again. It makes me a little sad.

However to look toward the future, and the most incredible adventures yet to come, makes me okay with the changes. I can't wait for the holidays, I can't wait for the snow (I started packing for Thanksgiving tonight). My favorite times of year are just around the corner. Candy canes from the Candy Kitchen, my gram's house full of wonderful decorations and cookies, lights on everyones houses and a fire in the fireplace 24-7.

But for now I'll learn as much as I can, and soak up the experience.

oxford: never before seen pictures

lets do this...

i read the paper on the metro

 The other night we were watching the news and video of Mr. and Mrs. Obama dancing with schoolchildren came on. He is there this last week visiting different schools and universities, as well as addressing the Indian parliament.

It reminds me of Reagan--everyone praises him for his international relations--and I like Obama's answers of peace, tolerance and prosperity for India and Pakistan to the students given the chance to interview him.

jonsi

Going with Joy, Zoe and Christian to see Jonsi tonight. They are coming down to the city to meet me. Excitement is not enough to describe how I feel. I want to dance around like a flower child and burst into a melody of purple and yellow music notes. My heart is so happy.

weckerisms

"I'm going to burst into a puddle of rainbows!" --Joy

"ddiizzzaaaaannnnggg!!" --Joy

"The thing is, I wish it was a joke." --Joy

"Home-made kettle chips...that's a little love in a bucket." --Steve

"My heart is melting all over the inside of my body." --Joy

What's that about? --Patti

Words and phrases I've started using now that I live here:

dumps: refers to something that didn't go as planned, was a disappointment or poorly put together.
incidentally: whenever one introduces a new topic of conversation.
"disgusting but awesome": Example, "Stephen's car smelled like a funeral home. It was disgusting, but awesome." --Joy
Get the heck outta dodge.
fabulous.
fantastic.

bored at work, oh the slow week

I went to see a Shakespeare play, it was fabulous. I wore tights under my pants because it was freezing out and my gram had given me the idea before I left. To walk among ruins and move with the characters, what an epic way to watch Shakespeare.

Found out this week that my friend Elizabeth lives in Annapolis, about an hour away from Elkridge. We studied together at Oxford and I absolutely adore her kindred spirit. We both love music, beautiful places, tea, poetry, good books, the earth, and aesthetically pleasing things in the same way.

It's cold out, 34 degrees when I went out to warm the car this morning.

I'll ride the train home tired today.

I wish Joy wasn't working tonight.

farewell october

So, work has been rather slow the last two weeks. Today is one of those days where I would so rather be in an art gallery, a coffee shop, or just still tucked in bed. I was a bit sick over the weekend and am still a little tired, but feeling better today. The November calendar is packed with books coming in and there will be so much to do but for today, well, I'm writing this.

Yesterday we went to church and then came home to a houseful of people and had hot chili for lunch. We raked some leaves and I helped Wendy carve her first pumpkin which turned out to be pretty great. After that Joy and a bunch of friends came back to work on their costumes. Joy was a pancake, Zoe, the syrup. Given was bacon, Shepherd was a waffle and Carpenter was a deviled egg, complete with little horns. Together they made up The Breakfast Club. Pretty epic I think.

I curled up in bed around 3:00 and slept until 5:30.

Naps are the most fantastic things.