Tag Archives: moving

moving, Seattle

Going Back

Tuesday morning was a lot like many other Tuesday mornings. Hopped on the 667 headed for downtown. Looked forward to one of my favorite scones for breakfast and a noon appointment with my favorite hair gal, Nina. Thought about which of my frequent skyway lunch spots or food trucks I’d visit. But those other Tuesday mornings were more than a year and a half ago and this was just a temporary walk down memory lane.

It was kind of neat to see some familiar faces on my old bus and in the skyways as I walked around. I got all caught up with Nina and made plans for another visit next time I’m in town. Visited the new brick and mortar shop of one of my food trucks and was happily greeted and questioned about my new life.

This was after Sunday at a hip-hop festival with a bestie, then a beautiful Memorial Day spent with my college roommates and sister, like it had only been days since I’d seen them last. And those were followed by a Twins game, again with my best friends, in a place I loved so much I bought season tickets to watch a dreadful team I never really followed, where I ran into another friend and was just as excited to be there as I had ever been.

And then dinner with my best friend from high school at one of our most visited dinner spots. I took the long way home and drove the parkway where I learned to drive, then continued on past Brownie & Cedar Lakes where I often enjoyed spending my time.

Thursday brought lunch with my dad in the neighborhood I grew up in. Then happy hour with old coworkers, people who brought me so much joy every day even the most dreadful work days were somehow ok. Saturday I returned to the cabin I once loved so much I lived there for six summers. Celebrated my dad’s birthday with my best friends and fam and sang with the classic country band I sing with whenever they’re around. And, to really top it all off.. my old bowling crush showed up at my step brothers’ bar! One hundred miles from the place I knew him from. This week was like a highlight reel of life before my move.

I felt… almost at home.

Going back couldn’t have come at a more perfect time. As I’m in a particularly frustrating phase right now, some might wonder if perhaps I regret my move and some of the choices I’ve made. Though I was incredibly happy to be back in my old routine for two days with a schedule packed full of time with my family and friends, I didn’t once feel like I was home.

It feels somewhat bad expressing that, as I mean no offense to those here I love. I miss them and always look forward to seeing them again. But there’s just something I’m missing when I’m here. A friend in Seattle, also from Minnesota and now moving back, expressed to me recently that when she was visiting MN a few weeks back, she just felt content. And that is how I feel in Seattle, at least for now. I still don’t imagine myself ever moving back to the midwest, but can picture myself in many other coastal or mountainous lands.

It was tough saying goodbyes again today and yesterday but this morning I flew back to Seattle and I’m happy to be home.

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love, moving

Moving, Yet Again

Tonight I went to a going away party for a friend originally from Minnesota that’s moving back there. When we were talking about it, she said that the last time she went back she just felt content. And I completely understood, as that’s how I feel every time I come back to Washington. I never felt that going home to Minnesota. That doesn’t mean I’ll live in WA forever, but confirmed for me that if it’s something you don’t feel somewhere, move where you’ll feel it. Do not hesitate to go where you are most content.

That said, it took me way too long to put my current moving plans into action. Had I known how much better just telling my roomie of my plans would make me feel, I’d have done it so much sooner. I’m sure I’ll miss my place a little, but I’m excited for another new adventure.

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moving

Moving Again

I started my search for a place a couple of months before I moved here. I found a couple of people who were also looking, some men who seemed to be looking for a girlfriend, one who proposed and another who offered me a place in Goa, India. Lucky for me I had a friend with a room that didn’t mind me and Murphy staying for a few months, and that’s where I’ve been for most of my time here so far.

In those five months I’ve grown to love so many things about my neighborhood. The Olympic Mountains are visible from the balcony every clear day. The beach is just over a 2 mile walk away. My first weekend out I found a favorite bar where the staff have become friends. The neighbors in the building mostly love Murphy but occasionally talk to me too (and leave me their leftover produce bags) and I’ve met great people while out walking nearby. Even the familiarity of the homeless guys at Safeway is somewhat of a comfort to me. But my living arrangement was meant to be temporary so after I settled into my job I started looking again.

I posted another ad on Craigslist, modified to be clear I wasn’t looking for love, and got quite a few responses. Many were too far for me to bus to work without leaving Murphy alone for far too long every day. And though they’d be roommate situations, I don’t want to have to rely on anyone else to take care of him. One man responded to my ad every time I reposted, saying he noticed I hadn’t found anything yet and was I sure I didn’t want to at least come look at the place though it was out of the area I wanted to be in. Another man responded a couple of times, and being that the room seemed like a great deal I finally called as he had requested in his email. The room was in the loft where he and his wife kept their computer desk but would arrange for times it would be best to use it. Also, they were former nude models and he continued to do some, but mostly now they were just nude around the house and would that offend my sensibilities at all? I was still going to check the place out after that but it bothered me a little that he didn’t just come out and say that during our email correspondence so I canceled.

Then there was one guy who seemed normal and actually responded once I got back to him so I agreed to meet up at a bar one weekend afternoon. In person he still seemed normal and I think we chatted for at least an hour, maybe even two, which is more than I can say for any dates I’ve had so why wouldn’t I just move in with this guy? He had a dog too and was going to be renting a house with a yard so it seemed like a perfect set up. It was still a few months out so we agreed to stay in touch and set up a time for the dogs to meet.

During the in between time I met a couple also having a dog and looking for a good dog friendly space. She worked at a dog day care and could potentially bring Murphy there now and then. Seemed like a great idea but ultimately it just wasn’t easy to find a place that allowed two dogs without any restrictions. When I did find what seemed like a perfect space, a block from a bus that would almost dump me on my office doorstep, no pet restrictions, remodeled everything, he was unable to reach her in time and the person who looked at it after me scooped it up. (I see their bikes on the balcony every time I go by. I hate them.) The couple had a lead on a studio in a good location for them so I encouraged them to go for it and as luck would have it, they got it. I don’t think I would have enjoyed living with a couple anyway, with all their holding hands and cuddling and kissing and doing fun things together. So dumb. 🙂

The time came when potential new roomie and dog could meet up and it also worked that I could see the house. So I grabbed a super quick bus over there after work one day. Unfortunately he was running late and unable to bring his dog, so I was going to have to meet up with this slacker again for the dogs to meet. (if you’re reading this Ryan, you know I’m joking. besides, you said I was a jerk when I couldn’t go to add-a-ball last week.) I liked the house though, it’s cute, has a fenced in yard, an eat in kitchen, a super cool old stove with TWO ovens, a bathroom with a window and a good sized basement for whatever one might need that for. And it’s in a great neighborhood, close to Lake Union, lots of bars and restaurants, also not far from Green Lake and other things I enjoy seeing/doing. He bought me a beer for his being late and we still got along so I agreed to meet him one more time for the dogs to get together.

We planned to meet at a dog park in the next week or so. Turned out not only was I going to meet his dog, but also his girlfriend. He assured me she wouldn’t beat me up so I went as planned. The dogs got along fine, the girls got along fine and being at a point where I couldn’t imagine a better living situation for Murphy right now and I also didn’t want to look anymore, I told him I’d move in. Since then he’s invited me out a few times and the one time I could go I met a couple of his friends that I’m pretty sure I’ll get along with too.

So yeah, I’m moving again.

And I’m really going to miss my current home and especially my friend/gracious host. But I’m excited for a new neighborhood, making new friends and most of all having a yard and a friend for Murphy.

 

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moving

And finally, I must go.

After months (maybe years?) of quoting John Muir, I’m heading west.

I had planned to move once before, somewhere nearer my dear friends the Smokies, but lack of job opportunities kept me here. Since then I bought a house, got a great job working with a super group of people, got a dog and all the things that come with settling into mid-adult years. I thought having these would calm my wanderlust but if anything, they only brought it further to the forefront of my mind. I traveled more in 2013 than I ever have before and dreaded coming home every time.

So here I am now, quitting that job, leaving my house with my current tenants, packing my dog, dresses and bed into an old van and heading west.

I’m excited to explore the mountains of Washington, visit Oregon for the first time, return to the Canadian Rockies and Yosemite and live near the sea.

Though I have a tough time sticking to any project for too long, I hope to regularly use this blog to reflect on my journey and share some of my past journeys too.

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