- Graduation
- Packing up house
- Driving truck 13 hours down to Lafayette (the cats travelled admirably well in the cab with me)
- Unpacking all our crap, and I do mean crap -- all of it, with the wonderful help of our families
- Weekend celebration for my Mom's 60th birthday
- Meeting extremely weird people in our apartment complex. Not the fun weird, either. Creepy weird.
- Heat wave
- B working remotely
- Dr. A starting work in SF tomorrow
- E being juggled by her parents and extremely kind grandparents until daycare starts in September
Thoughts on Lafayette and California:
- It is extremely hot and dry here in this state. It goes against my survival instinct to go outside.
- Lafayette is surrounded by hills covered in oaks. Very pretty.
- There ain't much here here. Money magazine calls the downtown "manageable". Humph.
- Not many people between high school age and middle age. It's sort of weird to see no one with oddly-placed piercings.
- Where the hell are the swings, people! My child needs to swing!
Lafayette is currently pretty terrifying to me. I feel the same as at the end of a long travel abroad, when you just want to go home, just want to see something familiar. For the time being, doing my best to suck it up and ignore the knot in my stomach. Good thing the apartment has a sweet pool.
11 comments:
The term "Shell shock" does come to mind.
The only familiar thing so far: there is a Trader Joe's 2 miles from the apartment. We have changed our jobs, our home, Erin's school, our proximity to friends, but we have not changed our groceries.
Yay for Trader Joes! We stopped by your house last week when the truck was still parked in front but missed you. I should state that in present tense-we *miss* you. Can't wait to come visit you.
Dang, September? I've got some time. Need a live-in babysitter with child to come and stay?
My advice:
Try to throw out at least one box of crap. (Consider it a feng shui thing.)
Steer clear of the creepy peeps.
Buy one of those handheld water misting fans to facilitate traveling outdoors. (Is misting a word?)
Spend as much time in the pool as possible.
Pick up some of those salted caramels the next time you're at T.J.'s and enjoy the taste of home.
We miss you guys! Henry is starting to say the names of the girls he knows, JoJo mainly because it's the easiest, I think. But Erin is on the tip of his tongue. Any day now...
Hang in there...it will all grow on you. Lots to do all around and you'll feel at home in a bit. BUT it is quite different from the Pacific Northwest!!!
What a couple of weeks! You guys must be wiped. Perhaps the shell-shockedness will tone down a bit with some good sleep and cooler temps. A pool and a TJs will help too, no doubt.
Give Erin a big hug from all her adoring fans! Josie would appreciate a new video whenever it's convenient. Maybe your creepy neighbors could make a cameo?
Christie, did you just call my daughter easy?! :)
You're here - fabulous! We may only be here for a couple more months. Dr. A, when the hell can we see Harry Potter?
Not that you have oodles of free time...but here is a place all the McMillers might enjoy. It's a place Aunt Madeline used to take Stephen and I when we were little.
www.wildlife-museum.org
Jenna
I have stopped crying when I walk past your house.
soon I will stop referring to the new neighbors as "the interlopers." but not yet.
we can't wait to come see you!!!!!!
call Dave. he is sad without us while we are in AR.
btw, I had similar knots when I moved to Portland and moved into student housing sight unseen at PSU. but look at me now!
Next time you have your folks scope an apartment for you, you should specify that you are looking for a place WITHOUT creepy neighbors. :)
I should reassure you that it will all work out, but I really want to convince you that you should move back. Immediately.
You know we are all rooting for you, but you are sorely missed. There is a definitely a void.
Caroline, don't fear. I sent Lucy down to Brewfest (with Matt, of course). Dave will have plenty of attention and adoration, at least for a few hours.
A big welcome from the other side of the bay!
Post a Comment