Simplicity in the City

Sometimes it takes me a few days to transition back into the city after I've enjoyed the slowness of small town life. On Friday I returned to Portland and ran my initial errands-taking care of the paperwork on campus downtown and buying groceries. I'm sure I quite entertained many individuals as they saw me walking back from the grocery store, my professional tote stuffed with extra groceries hanging off one shoulder, a huge grocery tote full of items smooshed between my arms and my stomach, and an extra pack of recycled paper toilet paper balancing precariously on top of the grocery tote. At the very least I was laughing myself.

I had taken public transportation down to campus, and am glad it will be a good mode to get me into the heart of the city for my work and school schedule this fall. I will still have to walk about as far as I did in my previous living arrangement, but am glad I will have to continue to move my legs, breath in fresh air, and really take in the sights and sounds of my surroundings. On this particular trip down, I had the company of an interesting older gentleman, who I had offered my seat on the bench to while we were waiting, and thus he sat next to me on the train. He was quite wonderful to talk to and I was sort of sad when we had to part ways. While there are a lot of different individuals you come across while on public transportation, I generally enjoy the conversations I have with most. At the very least, there is a sense of community that prevails.

Over the last several days, I have felt myself trying to process all the transitions of a month of being in multiple locations with multiple professional changes occurring at the same time. I feel so blessed to have made the right decision to withdraw from my one graduate program as it allowed me to refine my goals and to move forward in receiving the wonderful research assistantship position I have been awarded. I am going to have the opportunity to collaborate on a research project which truly aligns with my values and is within an area that I am extremely passionate about. The position also lifts a huge financial burden as it will cover most my tuition and pay me for the hours I put in as well.

SO in an effort to ease my transition, I spent yesterday afternoon out at my aunt's visiting over tea, looking at the pictures from their trip, walking around the gorgeous property, and picking more tomatoes, green beans, and zucchini. It was great just to spend the afternoon with her in the 'burbs and then come back with fresh produce to prepare for dinner. This morning, I also called my cousin up and we headed out to enjoy open house for alpaca farm day. I was able to check up on the alpacas I had helped shear and the two of us were able to enjoy a bit of time on the farm in the sun. Here are some of the gorgeous creatures-(the smaller one is of the way over due pregnant mama):

After leaving the farm, I had the opportunity to visit with my other aunt while dropping my cousin back off at their house. It's been so fabulous to spend so much time visiting with family over the last several weeks. It seems the older I get, the more I feel that many of my family members truly are individuals that I would choose to be my friends beyond just my own flesh and blood. And I also realize how much I benefit and learn from each of them as well.

Driving back from the farm, I stopped off to enjoy the afternoon "BBQ" put on by my graduate program, and was glad to find myself in vegetarian heaven. The food was delicious and the company was very enjoyable as well. It really was a great transition back into starting school.

And so as I sat on the back porch this evening, sipping wine, watching the sun fade to dark, and sewing up the bottom of the baby quilt, I realized that my funk has passed. The transition has neared completion and I feel ready to start off the new term--sometimes it just takes finding a bit of the slowness of small town in the form of simplicity in the city. If only I can continue to keep this as my goal....

I hope you all enjoyed a relaxing weekend and are looking forward to a fulfilling week!