We're coming back to Nevada for ~2 weeks in late November! We're planning to spend 11-12 days in Las Vegas, Reno, and where ever my Dad is (he travels). It's going to be a little crazy like always but we're looking forward to soaking up quality time with everyone we've missed.
We usually have lunch and dinner scheduled with someone different every single day, and it's exhausting but worth it. We'll probably have to be a little regimented about our schedule/dates/times, which is hard since we always end up wishing there was more time. But hopefully it will be enough time to catch up on the latest that's happening with everyone (me):
while drinking all the craft beers (Steven):
and reminding the kids what their far-flung aunt and uncle are like.
And of course, we added a little extra trip, too.
From Vegas, we're heading straight to Venice, Italy for 5 days! We have some extra vacation days at the end of our trip that we can't spend in the US (boo taxes) and I really wanted to visit a Christmas Marketsomewhere in Europe on our way back. (In case you weren't aware I really love Christmas.) Most of my research into the more traditional locations like Germany, Vienna, or Strasbourg didn't really jive with the way we like to travel. They all sounded kind of magical to me (especially the Ravenna Gorge Christmas Market), but Steven thought most of them sounded kind of weird.
But then I stumbled upon some descriptions of off-peak Venice - mellow, chilly weather, beautiful fog rolling the canals, super easy reservations and no wait times, and a Christmas market selling mostly traditional and regional goods. Sounds perfect.
I picked her up from the Seattle airport on Friday and we haven't been apart since. She spent the first 10 minutes of the ride home very dramatically whining at me, and I'm certain she was telling me the story of her arduous journey. I made sure I nodded sympathetically, and injected lots of "really?" and "it's okay" and "well you're home now" type of comments. She seemed satisfied.
And so far it's been pretty smooth. We had one small (or large if we're really honest) pee incident about 30 minutes after arriving in the apartment, but that was my fault. I'm a little out of practice when it comes to telling the difference between "Play with me" and "I have to pee" whines. Clearly, it was the latter. Good thing we have a heavy-duty carpet cleaner.
She was bouncing off the walls after we got home, so we walked to get a cup of tea and shared a cookie.
The "don't eat all my cookie" face.
I forgot the Chuck-it, so my arm-throwing distances were pathetic. She was gracious and didn't make fun of me.
Tired, happy, and blurry. Ball chasing (or maybe flying across the world) is exhausting.
But my poor Sven. Now he's all alone and I can't help feeling sad for the loss I know he feels. Phoebe is a giant bag of snores most of the time, but caring for her does wonders to stave off the worst of loneliness. I've been really mopey lately and having her around is already helping. Currently, she's laying beside me on the couch, snoring and farting on me at the same time. How sweet it is to be a dog lover.
In happier news, all three of us will be together in a few weeks! Steve's just popping in for a quick visit, but we're counting down the days.
I drove to Gig Harbor yesterday and I can't decide whether it was a good or bad idea. While it was wonderful to revisit our former little town, it also left me with a sense of longing that I wasn't expecting. I drove around the familiar streets, took in the familiar sights, and talked to some of our friends/neighbors, and couldn't help feeling like maybe I belonged in this sleepy little town full of boats, trees, retirees, crazy squirrels, and laid-back deer. And that's just not something I was prepared for.
This might be a first. I've never been attached to a particular house, town, or location of any kind. Sure, there have been a few in the past that I really liked - but none have made my heart swell and my bones ache at the same time. But I should point out - I don't feel like I don't belong in other places. It's more that I don't think/feel/consider "belonging" as a physical concept. That is, until quite suddenly yesterday...I felt it.
What. Is. Happening.
And now a day later, the more I think about it the bluer I become. People have always been my only anchors, not places. And as I try to explore my surprising emotions, I know that so much of it is inextricably tied to how much I miss Steven. I think Gig Harbor was the first place where we've both been really happy (as opposed to him hating LA, me hating Vegas, and both of us being ambivalent to Belltown), and that satisfaction with our surroundings made everything a little sparklier (is that a word?) What I can't separate right now is whether I feel this way because I miss our quaint little town, the happy little life we built there, or just simply Steven. I have a feeling it's all three rolled into a giant, heart-stopping, triple-whammy. And either way, it hit me like a ton of bricks and I've spent my day trying to avoid the creeping sadness.
Note to self: it's not that helpful to look at photos of your missing loves when trying to "keep it together"
But distraction is the key to compartmentalization, or at least it is for me. So first I tried hunting for some new neighborhoods that are gaining popularity and a lot closer to work. Long story short - I hated all 3 of them. Strike one. Second, I went to an RV dealership to look at travel trailers because I don't know. Strike two.
And then finally, I fell back on my tried-and-true reliance on culinary therapy. One grocery trip and 6 hours later, I have a pot of homemadeKorean oxtail soup. Of course, now it's after midnight and I'm just going to bed without eating any. But that's okay, mission more or less accomplished. The effort was distraction enough to keep me from going off the deep end. And perhaps coming home to something yummy tomorrow will make my day a little brighter. It's the little things, right?
I was looking through some old photos yesterday and found a few from the same week 3 years ago. The three of us were visiting family in Reno, Nevada and I remember it being such a great trip that I wanted to capture the moments and hold them forever.
When I found these yesterday, I stopped and stared for a long time.
Phoebe played so hard with my Dad's dog that she passed out all afternoon.
Oh you know, my Dad's neighbor had a pet bison.
Playing catch in East Lake - it was so shallow she could run through the middle of the lake (more like pond) and she loved it.
It's September 18th and it was ~105 F in Dubai. And while this is much better than a few weeks ago when my balcony thermometer read 130+, I got a little bummed about the upcoming lack of winter weather. Dubai should get significantly cooler through January-February, and it'll be awesome. But it'll still be in the 70's, which isn't quite the kind of cold I'm missing. (I know, I know, complaining for no reason.)
When I left New York I thought I'd had my fill of winter weather. Going to college in Philadelphia and then working in New York meant 6 years of feeling chilled to the bone from my feet up, sloshing through gray nastiness on my way to school/work, and feeling like my face was going to fall off the entire way there. And I was just not ready for that kind of fun. So I ran to the endless summer of LA and it was glorious. But surprisingly, I longed for fall/winter in each of the four years I spent there.
Photo from my company Christmas party in 2012. This is what winter in LA feels like.
And now that we're in the super sunny desert of Dubai, I am again missing the chill mornings, crisp air, and changing scenery that signals the coming of winter. And because I'm feeling infinitely cheesy, this is today's anthem. (Yeah, I know it's not the same thing at all, but whateverrrrr.)
While I listened to this song about 18 times, I looked through my old photos of Gig Harbor and Reno winters and fell in love all over again. I'm so grateful for those memories, the cool weather and warm fireplace, and for my Sven who stands beside me as I traipse all over the country world because I cannot stay put want to experience different things. Even if said different things aren't always "better."
I loved driving up the 395each Christmas - such a stark contrast going from sunny LA to snowy Reno.
The Gig Harbor House fireplace was Phoebe's first. She was skeptical at first, but quickly warmed to it.
The best profile in the family.
One of my favorite photos - my parent's backyard in Washoe Valley, NV.
