Settling In

Whew.

Between moving, working, and running, this chick has temporarily run out of words.

I knew how much I thought I would enjoy having Umstead only three miles from my apartment.

I had no idea just how rad the reality would be.

Though this autumn recently cranked up the heat (88 degrees today?), Umstead at the six o'clock hour has been consistently, delightfully cool. And it's so big that I can slip into this leafy coolness and barely make a ripple around me.

I'm slowly learning my way around Raleigh, taking wrong turns and seeing if I can figure out where I am and how to get back before breaking out the phone. On the streets or in the park, the City of Oaks is a beautiful place to be in the autumn.

I've talked about looking west this fall; next week, I'll travel to the edge of the US, visiting the city on the bay for the first time to celebrate a birthday, to catch up with an old friend.

I can't wait.