I am...

Feeling - So. Damn. Excited. to be moving! 6 days!

Writing - thank yous for many gorgeous and thoughtful "goodbye" gifts from friends.

Thinking - about the year to come and what it holds.

Knowing - that this time next week I will be wondering which box holds that very specific and immediately needed item I can't seem to find.

Listening - to bird song and crickets outside my windows.

Drinking - a not-small clutch of bottles that we simply can't take with us. End-of-summer Pimm's Cups seem very appropriate.

Savoring - the start of blanket weather.

Watching - enough Mad Men that I should be concerned about second-hand smoke. And those Pimm's Cups? They go perfectly with a Mad Men marathon.

Eating - the freezer's odds and ends. Homemade blintzes? Yes, please! Lamb chops lovingly raised by a local farmer? Oh my! The last of the blueberries? I like them still frozen, plain, and eaten with a spoon.

Hiding - my last, desperate purchases from my beloved Gabe's.

Resisting - the urge to let myself get too overwhelmed with my "to do" list.

Anticipating - seeing old friends, meeting new ones, missing the ones I have here.


*This post is inspired by SouleMama.

About a Train

Can I just say that I love taking trains? Last week, I took an Amtrak from Pittsburgh to Milwaukee and back again. Night trains both ways. I wanted to take the train because I’ve had such bad luck with flights lately. Also, I am kind of angry that the airlines are trying to control everything you do as a traveler and they’re getting really mean about it, as if we're not supposed to bring anything with us or desire any kind of nourishment on our journeys. Not to mention that there is no airport stress. So, for now I’d rather give my money to the train companies in an effort to encourage others to do the same. Maybe the prices will even go down if there is demand.

People complain that trains take too long, but really, I find that to be refreshing. It was so nice to have some me-time. I went to the lounge, I read, I listened to Mennonites talk. The best part is that almost all of the employees on the trains were not only friendly, but funny and warmhearted. I met some really interesting people.

This one lady getting on at Pittsburgh must have been at least 85. She was wearing a fancy party dress, a sheer, sequined capelet, and a veiled pillbox hat. She also had a vintage overnight bag, a husband who didn’t say a word, and she flirted with all of the "red caps."

And there is a part of me that likes not being found for a little while. With many airlines now having wifi, there are not too many places where you can simply be out of reach. Spending a few quiet hours without much contact with the outside world does everyone good, I’d say. It’s as if the world is held in suspension for a time and you can sit back, be quiet, and gain some perspective. And sleeper cars? Is there a more romantic form of travel? I will definitely try to make the time to take the train whenever possible.

Meg of my heart

Meghan came to visit at the time I needed her most of all, which was very convenient and soul-mending. We grilled, we played pool in the weirdest old-school pool hall known to man, we had a car towed, we went to the Andy Warhol museum, but most importantly, we did some serious hanging out. I miss you, Meghan. I wish we lived closer. Thank you so much for coming here and cheering me up.