California Dreaming

Hello my long-lost friends.

Since I posted last, we went to California to our beloved beach house* with our family for our fifth annual unplugged weekend (well, I unplug, not everyone does). It was deeply wonderful to be with our family and I managed to see two of my closest friends as well. It was not nearly enough time. It went by in a blink. I have been terribly homesick ever since. In fact, I flew home* a week ago today and I was only now able to look through my photos.

good conversations with loved ones happen in these chairs

You see, relocating? It's a pretty big deal. I've been cruising along on a sort-of Portland high -- what with the amazing food scene here, meeting people from blogland, the cycling heaven and the nature, oh the darn greenery around here! In between, I've been supercrazybusy making this house into a home. In between all of that, I work a day job 25-30 hours a week! In between all of that, I have been homesick and felt it many different ways -- especially since school began here because it is not cool and I miss our charter school community something awful.

But going home* to California, and spending time at the coast with the people I love? I could faint with homesick. So here I find myself living in a city I have passionately loved for years passionately missing my people and community at home. I have simply traded places. Instead of dreaming and missing Portland from California, I am dreaming of my friends and family and missing them in California.

As for California herself? I miss her seashores. That's about it so far.

How have you been?

* edited to clarify that my in-laws rent the same amazing beach house for the family each year, but we all wish we owned it :)

* edited again, because my conflict is clear -- I called both places home.