From the Land of Berries

I've been meaning to write just about every day since I last wrote, but something always happens... or doesn't happen... that makes me put it off "until tomorrow". I admit complete failure. Because of this, I'm going to be as informational and as brief as possible about as many things as I can think of to catch you up:

1) New Apartment: We got all moved in a few days before expected to a great (to be explained) place in Westside Olympia two doors down from the co-op (Sound familiar? That's because I lived a similar proximity from the Decorah co-op). We're smack between Evergreen College and downtown and we're right off two major bus lines that can take either Caleb or I most of the places we need to go. The place was... ahem... frightening when we moved in. There'd been a ceiling hung low at one point and the previous owners had ripped it out (good points) leaving a high ceiling that hadn't been finished (bad points) leaving holes, poorly-done plaster patches, peeling paint, exposed concrete and layers of old wall materials. The room had been finished with wood paneling, but had then been painted a pink-ish beige (my least favorite wall color). On top of that, the former residents had included an "artist" who painted most of her canvasses directly on the walls, leaving rectangles of acrylic and oil paints in various locations around the apartment... which were then smeared into lovely wall decor such as green smiley faces, pink stars, and blue hearts... ugh. Along with this, they'd been so clever as to have left out markers near a white wall and encouraged friends to write such lovely housewarming statements such as "your mom called, she wants her life back" and "I just pooped".....

Charming, I'm sure.

I sanded away at the unfinished top third of the apartment and the rectangles of thick paint. Caleb and I caulked cracks in corners and unscrewed all manner of hanging devices on walls and ceilings. We then spent (between the two of us) three days painting and touching up the graffiti hallway and main room. It's a lovely neutral green now with white trim (and the hallway is white) and you'd never know how scary it used to be. We've hung some special pictures, paintings, and decorative items, but planned to keep the main room mostly "zen" space without a lot of clutter, mostly functional. It will still be a work in progress for a while as we get the bathroom de-nightmare-ified, and paint the "watermelon closet" something, anything, other than hot pink and lime green.

2) New Family Member (don't get all worked up): I've finally bought myself a bike! It's a kelly-green 1974 all-original Sears and Roebuck's cruiser with all its parts including a spring-loaded back rack, reflectors, two-tone leather seat, fenders, and a chain guard! I'm in love. It's a five speed, "lightweight" steel frame (according to the original owner's manual that came with it). It even has the original rubber tires because the older couple who owned it kept it in a temperature and moisture-controlled storage room with special art since they bought it and only took it, and its blue companion, out once a year to ride them through the county fair. How

fun! It fits perfectly and I only had to spend $100 to get it (all tuned up and ready to go from a fellow who owns his own bike recycle business). I'm happy about this purchase and it gives me more freedom to move around (in less time) to the places I want to go. Now all I need is a bike lock and my helmet (remind me to talk to my parents about that helmet... ;)

3) Artist's Purchase: My paintbrushes came in the mail along with other lovely things from home and all I've been wanting is to have a space to draw and paint. I spent a bunch of time on Craigslist trying to find a good easel that I could buy for inexpensive that was also near enough to take the bus or walk. Not so easy. I ended up finding a really great almost-new drawing table in Lacey (nearby) that a family was selling as they moved to Arizona. I got it for an awesome price and now I have, not only an art space, but a desk space (it can go up at an angle or be used as a regular desk/table in a flat position). Having it in the corner of our Zen Room with my books, art supplies, recent creations, and special items makes this whole space feel so much more like home! I'm happy. I also found a really neat leather footstool at a "free garage sale" down the street to use as a really comfy chair with it. I really love nesting into a space!

4) Working Without Pay: I've signed up to do a bunch of volunteer things for local theaters and other neat stuff and have a volunteer position on my calendar about once a week from now until the end of August. Although this isn't money (grrrrr), it IS a good way for me to get to know people and get to know some of the organizations I'm trying to get "in" with. It's also good for me to have fun, community-based reasons to leave the apartment, get dressed up, and be semi-social in the evenings. On Sunday I went to help usher for a Capital Playhouse rendition of Beauty and the Beast... sadly, I was one person too many and they didn't have anything for me to do. Luckily, I got a free show (through intermission) out of the deal and the chance to get out and see families in action. It reminded me of going to performances at the Children's Theater in Minneapolis as a child.

5) Jobs: Not so much going on here. I'm still searching and applying. I got word that the local film society and Children's Museum are hiring and I am excited to jump on those positions with resume in hand and a smile on my face. Other than that, I've also been seeking employment through AmeriCorps in the area. I've had some good leads, but nothing solid has come through yet. I'm being watchful and patient. Good things are said to come to those who wait... and I've been waiting REALLY, REALLY patiently. I'm hoping it's just around the corner now.

6) People: I still don't feel like I have a solid group of friends here, but I keep telling myself, "Hey, it's only been a month!" I have met a bunch of Caleb's classmates and have really connected with a handful of them. I'm still anxious to find people who are "my" people and know me before knowing him. People I can call to go for a walk through the park with or invite to catch lunch and coffee downtown. I know they're here and I think a job will help me start to connect with him. Right now, I mostly meet people at bus stops and waiting in line at the Post Office. These are not inherently bad people, but it also is not an ideal situation in which to make a lasting friendship. I'm struggling with my people-oriented introversion, watching people at the cafe, co-op, or in the park who look interesting, but not feeling the courage to go introduce myself and sit next to them. I need to figure out a way to feel comfortable inserting myself into other people's days. Ahh, the struggle! :) I'm sure it'll start to make sense soon enough.

Along with this, I should mention a few wonderful days of people-time: The evening of the 4th of July, Caleb and I made about a gallon (seriously) of potato salad and brought it to a potluck event where we jabbered the night away with interesting classmate-folk, ate amazing food of all sorts, assisted in the milking of a sheep and goat ("shoat" milk), and stayed up late around a blazing fire. This past week, Caleb went on a three-day hiking extravaganza with his sister, Kirrie, and I was invited to join a picnic/potluck in the park by Capital Lake with my friends Woody and Katie (and others, whom I got to know there are now will say hello to like Kyle and Mackenzie). I made two attempts at my mother's infamous Peanut Pasta Salad... the first attempt I used angel hair pasta. I will tell you now that angel hair pasta is lovely and enjoyable to eat, but it does work well when being mixed with a thick and sticky adherent such as peanut butter. I ended up with a "log" of peanut pasta and, when it cooled, it appeared I'd be better off slicing it with a knife and serving it like a loaf rather than a salad... so I started over. The second time, it went well. Yippee, I CAN cook! I chopped garlic scapes and put sprouts on top. I was proud. We ended up having a lovely evening which ended in a slightly spooky trip through the woods in the dark to water the community garden plot in Caleb's absence. Remind me not to wait until so late next time!

7) Food: I live in a land of berries right now. I'm convinced that, everywhere you walk in the neighborhoods of Olympia, you are somewhere on the continuum between being 3 blocks from a berry bush and being armpit-deep in one with a handful of berries already in your mouth. There are raspberries, salmon berries, strawberries, trailing blackberries, Oregon blackberries, gooseberries, Oregon grapes, blueberries, and probably several I'm forgetting. So tasty! They're growing on traffic circle centers, street corners, in yards, and in the forests. Some are even growing out of cracks in the sidewalks or next to dumpsters! My fingers get stained red or purple on most of my walks around the neighborhood, but I claim it gives me the sustenance to continue on the rest of the block to the bus stop. Caleb and I have been trying to capture this bit of summer in a variety of freezer jams and some dried berries to bring a little slice of summer into the winter months. Also, his garden plot is producing a bunch of kale and chard that gets added to most of our meals. We eat eggs on toast or oatmeal (his specialties) most mornings with a cup of my specialty: French press coffee. I watch a lot in the kitchen while Caleb cooks. Then, later, when he's in class or at the library working on homework, I play around trying to make similarly delicious meals. I'm still at the developmental stage of 'mimicking' in the kitchen, but I think that, soon, I'll be willing to try my own creations and even share them with the master chef himself. I'm enjoying all of the fresh food, regardless. Life feels a little more wholesome with jam in the freezer, basil in the dehydrator, chamomile flowers in a jar, and a bundle of kale on the counter awaiting dinner.