Morning Routines.

Ede and I, seconds after waking.

Last Boston night, I ...

felt a little somber.

sat on fire escapes.
ate grilled veggies made with love.
(as well as vegan cupcakes also made with love.)

made heart shapes with Katie.
made faces with Beth.
went karaoke-ing.
walked home slowly.

*photos courtesy of the lovely Beth and Katie.

Red Letter Days, pt. 2

July 27 Fly West

July 28 Philosophy garden party

July 29 The New Pornographers

Aug 9 Eden's day of birth

Aug 10 Cate's Cake Dome Party

Aug. 14 Meg and Jared's wedding

Aug. 16 Move to LA (!)

Aug. 24 Mockingjay comes out

Bike fail, pt. 2.

Next time I think it is a good idea to ride a bike in a pencil skirt, remind me that it is not.

Bike wrecked.

My bicycle and I had a hard go tonight. I was peddling down Washington Street on my way home from Whole Foods with grocery bag in basket. This would normally not be a problem, but because it was nighttime, and the height of the paper bag was blocking my light, it became a slight problem. I attempted to fold the paper bag down, while continuing to peddle. For reasons I am still unsure of, the previously trustworthy basket chose this moment to come undone. It fell to the pavement, and with it the paper bag and parcels.

Imagine: apples, vanilla soy yogurt, and olives strewn across the middle of a busy Boston intersection on a Saturday night... Absurd.

This initial fall was also responsible for causing the true catastrophe—I simply wasn't prepared for it. Afterward numerous cars pulled to the side of the road and passengers and pedestrians alike came streaming to my side to see if I was okay. They were kind. They picked up my groceries, my basket, my bike, me, and brought everything to the side of the road. Not a single car honked. (Somehow this was the most surprising to me, as it was in Boston, after all.) One woman offered me a ride. I told her it was okay, that I was about a mile from my house and could walk home. I did so, and on that walk discovered that my leg was bleeding.

That was the worst of my personal injuries, so I felt okay. And it was one of those moments when it seems like everyone in the world is a good person. I love those moments.

Anything is possible when you're in the library.

BYU made this video. It is good. It also made me want to work at the HBLL even more than I already did. (Thanks Jake for sharing it.)

Goodbye is not a good enough word.

This morning I swam in Walden Pond while it rained. That was easy. That was pleasant. Evening time was Book Club for a book I really loved. Equally easy. Equally pleasant.

Then something harder.

I said goodbye to Max. He leaves for Brazil tomorrow, and won't be back before I leave. Elizabeth will join him, but is still in Cambridge for a few more days. After parting I rode my bike home with my hood up, and in addition to feeling like Elliott from ET, I felt grateful and slightly sad. Not crying sad, just sad. Maybe because Max and I have been friends since I was 20, and he and Betty were the only people I knew when I moved to Boston. Maybe because my first night here I slept on their couch. Maybe simply because saying goodbye made the fact that I'm moving seem more real. Either way, Boston was better because of them. Dessert First Adventure Club, Outstitute, and Pizza Month were better because of them, indeed existed because of them.

Somehow hugging them, and saying "Thank you for being my friends," didn't even begin to cover it. Not at all. But what else could I say that would be truer? Nothing.

The nice man at the bike shop fixed my bike for free today.

Thank you, nice man at the bike shop.

I miss this child.

Enough that these photos, found on Amber's blog, may have made me cry tears.

Freedom Weekend!

While the 4th of July always makes me miss previous 4ths and previous people (Tommy Ottley, Gifford, Jessica, etc.), the last few days have been really lovely, and for the most part I was happy to be right where I was.

Highlights include: waking up early, bike ride after bike ride, watching Eclipse and picnicking with Cambridge friends, hanging out at the Hatch Shell listening to The Boston Pops and Toby Keith, so much quality time with miss Klemm, her brilliant idea to watch the fireworks from the water, and our nighttime excursion kayaking the Charles that made it all possible.

3rd of Freedom!

4th of Freedom!

It was beautiful and peaceful and perfect.

I can't stand the heat.

So I am getting out of the kitchen.

A truth.

When you're hiking the most pleasant thing in the world is to sit in the shade and drink water. That's all you need out of life. -Katie

Adventure Time.

Friday: Biked 20+ miles.

Saturday: Biked 20+ miles.

Sunday: Biked 15 miles. Kayaked 3 hours.

Today: Hiked Mt. Monadnock. Swam.

I am spent.