Settling In

So far this has been what I hope will be a typical weekend. Friday night SMS and I went over to our friend's (K&M) to order take out and watch the Mets game which they had DVRed for us. Yesterday we went to Venice beach with our friends R&D and their kids B&R.


It was crowded and SMS asked me if the crowds were bothering me. I told him that if it were our vacation, I think I would have minded, but because we live here, I didn't. I can't explain it. Normally I hate crowds, but I didn't mind them yesterday. And it was only the boardwalk (which isn't really a boardwalk, so much as a commerical alleyway) that was crowded; the beach wasn't at all. It was a lovely day. I didn't bring my camera (the photo above was from our last visit with R, D, B & R), but I wish I would have -- it was all so colorful. We saw the "Canals of Venice" and "Muscle Beach." Not bad for a regular old Saturday.

We did come home and build another bookshelf - hopefully not an every weekend occurrence, but it went smoothly. Now all of our books have a place to live, which is very exciting and satisfying.

Today SMS is playing basketball and I'm relaxing. Later we're taking K&M to one of my favorite places in the world (Burke Williams) to thank them for their overwhelming hospitality and support throughout this move. Again, this should not really be an every weekend occurrence, but if it were, I wouldn't complain.

While it still feels like a vacation, and I can't quite believe this apartment is actually ours, it is starting to feel like home. Last night I walked from the dining room to the bedroom and the bathroom in the dark -- always a good sign that a new place is home. There are still small differences that I notice: the way my skin feels here is different than it did on the East Coast. I can't quite explain it, but it is an intimate reminder that I am far from my old home.

I think I'll get used to it.