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Our week spent in Boston was just wonderful. We saw so many good friends, went to some of our favorite places, and just kind of relished being in a place we can honestly call home. It was very strange: I felt like I might have forgotten some things, but once I was there I realized that some things they do there just feel right, feel comfortable: keeping the left side of the escalator clear for those who’d prefer walking up (is there even an escalator in Morgantown?), stepping to the side to let people off the T, knowing in my bones the quickest way to cut across Harvard Square, knowing how to plant my feet just so to surf the greenline.

We went to Maine on the weekend; I took a trip to central Mass. one morning. Everything is so close. I had the best steak ever at Brasserie Jo’s on Huntington. I highly recommend going there for a steak frites lunch. So not only did I get to go to some of my old favorites, I also got to discover some new ones, too.

View from my hotel room

We stayed downtown at the Westin at Copley Place because Aaron had a conference to go to nearby. It was so much fun to be so close to the T, to jump on and get somewhere fast. The Boston Public Library was right across the street from us and I went there every morning to check my email and do homework. It was lovely. I don’t know why I didn’t do that more often when I was an undergrad. The elderly guard at the door greeted me by saying, "Good morning, darling" each morning. I saw two homeless people come in and sit down. They just sat there and wrote. The great American novel, I’m sure. Lots different than here.

View from my hotel room. The library is the large square building with the courtyard.

a study room in the library

When I left Boston 3 years ago I had gotten so used to it that I didn’t really appreciate it any more and things about it bothered me. Things about it still bother me. However, I have to say that the things that have happened with Aaron’s family in the past year or so have really changed Boston for us. I can’t imagine being too far away from anyone there for much longer.

That feeling was made so apparent by the sinking dread I felt when the plane touched down in Morgantown on our way back. I saw a hotspot from the airplane and I started crying.