The Geese Have Landed

It has been an odd first summer back for me back in the great Puget Sound. The weather-folks keep trying to convince me that the temps have been totally, completely average. But the summers of the past that I remember don't include rain or grey skies, both of which seem plentiful this summer. Indeed, perhaps the temps have been average but the skies have not been blue.

I teeter back and forth between being completely elated at being back home and being utterly depressed (and cold!). I am a laughingstock of friends and family, the Goldilocks as it were for Tucson was tooooo hot and Tacoma is, well, tooooo cold (and grey and wet). I realize I can't have it all but the switch has been a shock to my system.

Deep down, I know that I am happy to be here. Since we've been here for the last month+, we've gone hiking twice, camping once and I've gone running down on the waterfront countless times. I've been enough times where I am actually starting to recognize people and give them nicknames in my head! I am fascinated by the thought of running at any time of day I please in the middle of summer! Without having my head explode from heat! Without having to carry a gallon of water, a gallon of Gatorade and three other gallons of fluids and ice back at the car! It is a giddy, giddy feeling for sure.

A few nights ago though, I was about to fall asleep when I heard geese flying overhead with their recognizable honk, honk, honk. And today, as I sat down at the beach with my daughter on our last true day alone with each other before I return to work, there were a few geese paddling/resting in the water.

Geese mean the return of fall. And that made me sad. And maybe even homesick.

Except. I am home.

So what the heck am I talking about?

Tucson and I were never the best of friends. I never hugged it tightly, promising to never let it go. I never settled down roots there. I wanted to but it always felt like some sort of awkward first date and I was constantly seeing all of these flaws. I was hoping this bad first date would just hurry up and end.

Well, the date did end. Finally!

But I still miss it a little. Fall in Tucson is a glorious time. Lots of place have their fall leaf shows and I do love those but a lot of my favorite memories of Tucson occur in the fall. The air finally cools down enough and is even crisp in the morning. But the sun still shines nice and warm in the afternoon. The javelinas make their way down back into town, munching on and destroying many pumpkins and potted gardens. I adored fall in Tucson.

So seeing those geese made me a little sad about no longer being there. I hurried out of town without even so much as a goodbye. And yet. I am still tied to the town with a house that won't sell but...will I ever even see this house I am making mortage payments on again? Probably not. I feel a little awkwardly tied to Tucson. I am ready to move on. And yet, I can't let go either.

New Beginnings

So, do you want the long version of my life in review over the last month or the short version? :-)

To sum it all up, I made it safely here to the Pacific Northwest. My daughter was an angel for the entire car ride. Our stuff was delayed getting here and we lived for over a week in a house with no furniture and an air mattress. The air mattress popped one night and we all ended up "sleeping" on a hardwood floor.

I ran a half marathon. I forgot to pack running socks and all of my stuff was still in Tucson in a warehouse so I had to buy new socks.

It got hot here (yay!). My daughter and I were the only ones in pants at the toddler park.

I had a job interview (one in a multi-series of interviews for an organization) and I forgot to pack shoes (but I did have my suit) so I had to buy shoes.

My stuff finally arrived, mostly in one piece. It barely fits into the rental house but the espresso machine and the washer and dryer are all I need to be happy so it works.

I ran a 5K across the new Tacoma Narrows Bridge.

Then it got cold and rainy. I wanted to hide under the covers all day during the cold and rainy part. Winter here will be a challenge. I become Eeyore at the slightest hint of grey or clouds.

I had yet another job interview (#4 in the series).

After a month without internet or cable tv, I re-joined the technological age and had everything installed.

I was offered and accepted a job!

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So, all in all, it has been a wild, busy ride. We still are waiting for our house in Tucson to sell but otherwise, all the pieces of the puzzle have fallen into place. I've been off of work for a month now and have two more weeks of summer vacation before I return to work. The relocation has been difficult and stressful beyond belief at times but now we're here, safe and sound.

My life is far from perfect but as I ran 8 miles the other night along the waterfront, with clear views of Mount Rainier in one direction and the Olympics in the other direction, I felt at home and happy.

I'm settling in to a routine but have been busier than ever and it will only get busier when I start my job. I only have a few more months to train for the Portland Marathon and before we all know it, summer will be over and the days will get shorter again. Computer time is self-limited these days.

There is a pretty good likelihood that my blogging days are over. I continue to read many blogs and I really enjoy them but I don't have any pressing reason to write anything on my own blog. We'll see...

For now, I hope everyone is having a fabulous summer! If you want to keep in touch with me, please feel free to email me privately.