[Note: This post was written on Monday morning - and I ended up getting to my office in Portland about 3 hours later than planned :-P]
The drive to the train station this morning was peppered with crunchy snow drifts and slippery ice patches. My husband drove and I enjoyed the view. I love how safe I feel when he drives - it's like I can completely give up control over the vehicle because I know he has our best interests at heart.
So after stopping at Cutters Point coffee shop in downtown Tacoma and watching the sun rise over the bay while taking the first sips of a Red Velvet Frappe (yum!) we finished the last leg of the commute and arrived at the tiny, adorable Tacoma Amtrak Station (not to be confused with the ginormous bus/commuter station just across the street & down a bit). I was one of the first people here which was probably a bit of overplanning on my part, as the train has already been announced as delayed 20, 25, 30, and now 50 minutes in arrival. This is an example of how the Pacific Northwest is not prepared for cold weather, I suppose: the switches on our trains don't have heaters built in as they do in other parts of the country. Bust my buffers!
It makes me think about an old joke we had when I rowed crew in college, though: hurry up & wait. Rush, rush, rush so you can sit, sit, sit. It's all a matter of preparation. Really, though, isn't that what life is? A series of preparations? Education is a preparation for working as an adult. Dating is a preparation for marriage. Eating is a preparation for burning calories. Sleeping is a preparation for staying awake tomorrow. Antecedent, consequences, antecedent, consequences, as regular as train wheels clicking down the tracks - once they're defrosted, of course.
My word this year is *intention*, which to me is an integral part of preparation. It doesn't change what you do, so much, as being aware of *why* you're doing it. I'm sitting here in this train station with the intention of returning to Portland so I can put in a good week's work and spend another full weekend, guilt-free, with my family. I am preparing to return to my home, which is with my boys.
Can you believe I left this comfy little workspace behind?
Hi Emily! I'm your newest follower!!! I saw on my yahoo news the storm that was pounding you. Here in central California we are bracing for a tiny bit of rain that will no doubt cause car crashes and people scurrying to find their winter boots. I hope that you stay safe and warm. jules
ReplyDeleteJules, you are so sweet! Welcome to my little corner of cyberspace, I'm glad you're here. I'm happy (jealous?) to report that, while my husband and son have had the entire week of school in Tacoma, here in Portland we've been limited to a light dusting followed by ridiculous amounts of rain. One of our interns actually had her driveway flooded out South of Portland, isn't that bananas?!? I must get pictures from her to post...
DeleteHi Emily,
ReplyDeleteI loved looking through your blog! You are one crafty Mom! To answer your question I started reviewing products little by little-I would contact smaller companies first and then worked my way up. It takes A LOT of time and A LOT of hard work but it is lots of fun too! Thank you for being a reader of Cherry Blossoms {The Blog} and I hope you will come visit again soon! Have a lovely day!
Cheers,
Kiley
Hmmm, Kiley - you had me at hard work, but I'm not sure I should take on another time commitment, at least until my family and I are all living in one state again! I appreciate your tips though, and thanks for stopping by my blog :-)
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