PNW love on the East Coast

Long before M and I made the decision to move "back East" two of my dearest friends had made the move in that direction, one to Maine and the other to RI. Because my mom was also in Maine and we often flew in and out of Boston Logan, it made visits with them both easier than it might have been otherwise.

The ties that bind me to these women is strong. I am forever grateful that we've maintained these friendships and with us moving closer to the Atlantic we've had many more opportunities to spend time together. Both ladies have visited Pittsburgh, each with their families, as well as each making the trip to celebrate my 40th with me. I treasure all the memories we've created and am always looking for an opportunity to make more with them. So this past February when my friend JW was celebrating her 40th I knew I had to reciprocate attendance and because I know KLC often works in Boston asked her if she might squeeze me in a for a day.

It was exactly what I needed in the middle of such a dark cold winter and it warmed my heart immediatly.

Friendship requires maintenance, and I am so glad both these women continue to contribute to the health of our relationships. I expect many more memories to be made in the years to come. 

Safe to say I've disembarked the boat~

Six years ago we "set sail" from the Pacific Northwest and headed for the Point, where the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers meet to form the Ohio.

I was blogging steadily through my experinces of letting go of everything I'd known and established for myself, my family.  It was challenging and at times painful... some months were one small incident after another; where as other times it would seem as if we were climbing the Mt. Everest of insurmountable obstacles. Writing was cathartic and enabled me to keep a larger swath of far away loved ones, family and friends in the know of what was going on. I'll admit I knew it had been spotty, but I was genuinely surprised to see how very little I have actually blogged in the last few years. While there are various reasons, I'd say the most likely culprit is that it's no longer an experience living here, but simply life....

LIVING here in the moment, LIVING here in our beloved East End neighborhood, working here, living HERE = HOME.

~ home is where the heart is ~

LHG has, of course, embarked on her own adventures, moving in to her first real house with someone other than her parents. College, career, travel, whatever her heart desires and we will be here in Pittsburgh supporting her as best we can. 

While we won't be moving any time soon (or EVAH), together M and I will be charting new territories as a couple. For the first time in our 19+ year history it will just be the two of us. Of course we still have the dog, jobs, bills, etcetera; but in the last year we've definitly had more time for each other and our individual hobbies, M has even taken up golf!!! I completed another Rachel Carson Challenge, albeit only 1/2 the distance as last years. We are moving in September, and revisiting where our love story begin in October. We are both working on our 6th year at our respective employers and while we aren't always madly in love with what we do, I think we would agree that we have it better than most in the professional department.





Today is so much more than I imagined for myself, for us, for our lives when I looked out a hotel room windown in Spokane, WA lo those six years ago and took this picture of all our belongings packed into a moving van towing our beloved Subaru (also packed with more belongings).



All the suffering and frustration was a means to an end... so much growth has come from the last six years. So much insight, and knowledge gained. SO MUCH LOVE experienced. SO MUCH LOVE.