So here is a little of what we have been up to over the past several months...
We purchased some furniture! Our little motor lodge of an apartment is decorated with the most lovely items from Ikea. This is not what I had envisioned when looking around for furnishings, but shopping there was just so easy and quick. Within two hours we found all needed items to properly furnish our tiny apartment. With a few pictures on the walls and an assortment of worldly gadgets scattered on the shelves, it really has become home!
Work has been going well. I actually took a four month travel position on the same unit when we returned from our trip. It worked our very well, and it was great to catch up with all of my pals. Aaron has taken a full time per diem position at a different hospital. He seems quite happy as well. Some weeks are difficult because of schedule differences, so we just have to make the most of our time off together. No prob!
Aaron continues to brew large quantities of beer. Uggggghhhh...just kidding. At one point we had about 17 gallons sitting in the closet, but fortunately Aaron drank a few beers on a recent camping trip. Now we are down to 12 gallons. I have considered hosting Friday night tasting parties in our apartment lobby to help rid of our overflowing amount of beer. Honestly, I haven't really liked his recent brews. They're a little too strong for my liking, but I have high hopes for the pumpkin beer that is still settling in our tiny closet.
I have loved using all of our awesome wedding utensils that we had never opened until recently. I try to make a few interesting dishes every week. So far no complaints from Aaron, but he will pretty much eat all foods. Any excuse to get in the kitchen and use my beautiful KitchenAid mixer! After traveling with the bare minimum for so long, it is so nice to have an assortment of utensils to choose from and pretty dishes.
Making friends is a full time job, but I am very determined to have a sense of community here in San Francisco. Our work friends are fantastic, but it is really nice to meet folks who don't work in healthcare. I recently started attending a community church that is in our neighborhood. It has been an awesome experience, and everyone there is so welcoming. This is just what I needed during this season of my life, especially since we're settled down for a while. We are also part of a few Meetup groups, so this provides another social outlet.
My parents came for a visit. We had such a great time showing them the area. After a few days in Pacifica we drove up north to Bodega Bay to stay for a couple of nights. From the fabulous California coastline and the Redwoods to the delicious clam chowder, it was really a perfect trip.
We made a quick road trip up to central Oregon last week. This was a new state for both of us. We had contemplated traveling abroad to Scotland or Ireland, but just decided it might be easier and less tiring to stay in the region. We camped, hiked, fished, drank the local beer, and visited Bend. Zuri came along as well, so it was really fun to have her with us. She constantly guarded our campsite while attempting to catch chipmunks. Poor Zuri, no luck with the chipmunks, but she never gives up.
So these are just some of the things we have been up to lately. Next week we fly to South Carolina for a week at the beach with my family. Pawleys Island is one of the most beautiful and relaxing places on this earth. We will have good fun! I am going to try to update the blog more often now that life has slowed down.
Cheers!
