take a chance on me

the wind blows fiercely. it's too soon to tell whether this is a common occurrence or merely early winter weather. i hope the fire on the power lines and the ensuing explosion is not a weekly show.

our apartment is lovely. we are really enjoying it, although i'm eager to have bookshelves put up so we can flatten all our book boxes and make some room in our office. from my perch on the couch, i can see three square windows, one set of patio doors, and a gorgeous half-moon window that lets in the light perfectly when the sun chooses to shine. we have 3 windows in other rooms, in addition to another set of patio doors in the master bedroom. someone pinch me! pictures will make their way here at some point.

subbing has been slow this week. the district i sub in is having parent-teacher conferences this week and next, resulting in early-release days and exhausted teachers who can't afford to take a day off. i expect a plethora of jobs the week after thanksgiving. until then, i'm enjoying the apartment. probably a little too much...i should get outside and go for a rainy-day walk. i've been cooped up doing dishes, rearranging, playing freecell, knitting, and listening to abba. they really are a delightful group.

bellingham is the largest city i've lived in. 75,000 diverse people walk the damp streets of the city. the lighthouse mission, an outreach to the homeless, is two blocks from our apartment. i love that living here is stretching my mind and making me see parts of humanity from which i've been somewhat sheltered. i'm also nervous walking around by myself, in the way that i was nervous when al & i took walks at night in her chicago neighborhood. maybe not quite that nervous...bellingham is a friendly city; a cultured city; full of sights and sounds and natural beauty and apparently, fierce windstorms. i'm glad i don't have to take it all in this week. i've lived in the area for over two years and i learn new things about bellingham weekly.

i feel pensive. and i smell delicious whole-wheat bread baking in the oven.