Two Rooms with a View

Perhaps my favorite thing about our new apartment is that I can be in the whole thing all at once, nearly.

The bedroom, cave like except for the window “terrarium,” has its own privacy, but the living room, study, kitchen and eastern view of mountains are all, well, right there. Little N with her happy smiles, quiet play, tentative shrieks (just for fun, it seems), and first tooth is never far out of reach.

Off in the distance we can hear construction work, and maybe some quarry noise, and–way far off, down below–the hum of the city. The neighbors’ chickens cluck and a small dog yips occasionally, and just now a train whistle blew. (Sixty miles away at our old house, I’m sure the big dogs are howling it up like normal while the grocery store dumpsters are being emptied with tremendous crashing.)

I feel at last, after all summer preparing for this transition and feeling stressed about the still-unresolved, imperative necessity of renting out or selling our previous house, that we’re on vacation.

That is, on vacation with friends and family not far away. Last night friends C&K&P picnicked with us in honor of my birthday; right now M is bicycling business rounds to siblings H and D&A. And I’m here typing and listening to good morning music.

Very mellow.