fresh start

I'm at the beginning of the race, taking my sweats off, enjoying a last minute of rest before the intensity of the competition begins.

Well, in actuality, I'm sitting in Alliston, Ontario, debriefing myself from the last six months outside of North America, attempting to apply for some jobs, sift through pictures, read, and relax before hitting a bombardment of address changes, road trips, moving, and finding a new job somewhere between Vancouver, British Columbia and Portland, Oregon.

I am enjoying this break in life and career. Last week, mom and I went to decorate eggs; the Ukranian way. We divided the egg into sections, penciled a design on the shell, waxed, and dipped the eggs until they were up to our expectation (or close enough for a first-timer). The process was fascinating and I appreciated having some artistic liscense after being on the road so long!

I also enjoyed a morning out on a maple farm. What could be more Canadian than Saturday morning pancakes with real maple syrup and a hay ride out to tour the maple grove. I'm glad they had coffee; and for future folks who may participate in this fun, local activity, I invite you to bring one more layer than you think you do. It was the coldest I've been since Antarctica! The french toast and pancakes were certainly worth the trip out to the farm, though!