woke to bright blue skies and dean and deluca espresso two hours before work. brian and i made a big breakfast - tomato, mushroom and gouda quiche with a side of toast - and then he walked me to work so that he could spend the day exploring the city himself. brian, my boyfriend of four months, got here five days ago and after a few minor collisions, we have settled back into the natural rhythm of our relationship. unfortunately in three more days, he'll be back in iowa city finishing the house renovation and figuring out what the next step will be. it's so strange, and in some ways so wonderful, to be grounded and have a home. yes, i'd love to go roadtripping through the south for three weeks, but i can't, i have a job. yes, moving to portland sounds great, but i can't right now. i need to stay and write here. if i only i could drag all of the people i love to this city and buy a big rowhouse for us to live in. (are any rowhouses big enough??) that would be wonderful. but instead i have to just try to love the feeling of having both roots and being aware of my core all at once.

my life right now is my herb garden, yoga classes, bike rides down connecticut avenue, writing, national geographic, the eastern market, letter writing, long-distance love.

and i think that life is pretty damn wonderful.