Saturday pleasures.

Today my sister called at 7:30 in the morning to tell me that she was taking her dogs, Charlie and Olive, for a walk and that I should meet her halfway in the woods. We now live within walking distance of each other and the quickest way between point A and point B is through the woods. It's hard to describe with words (at least without using too many adjectives) the sheer magnitude of magic that this place possesses.

I walk out my door, across the street, through a small break in the foliage, into a magic clearing, and down a deer trail until I meet a main path that splits in 3 directions (not including the many winding side trails). If I follow the path to the right it goes past ponds and meadows, through green grasses, under old oaks, and eventually to a lake. If I go straight it leads me to the wildflower gardens and a trickling creek. If I go left it brings me through a series of hills down a shadowed path surrounded by towering trees--this is the way to my sister's house. Each time Anu and I walk, we find a new part of the park we have not yet explored. But calling it a "park" or "woods" does the place a great injustice. Both lack something--they are words incapable of capturing what it is. No, not a "park" or "the woods"...it is a forest--in all magical sense of the word.

And maybe someday I'll be able to describe the places where I walk a little bit better. But for now I am too busy simply soaking it all in. These days I like to pretend I'm a sprite or a gnome...or better, I'm just a girl with a dog--happily lost in a beautiful forest.

Today was the first day that Anu walked with Charlie and Olive. Of course, that made for 2 girls and 3 dogs happily lost in a beautiful forest. And now Anu has 2 new best friends. Life is good for everyone.

Afterwards, with tired dogs and a still sleeping Vinny at home, my sister and I continued on to the Saturday Market. This is one of the things I've been looking forward to. It was grey and drizzly and a perfect day for enjoying a still-quiet city. I bought flowers and homemade organic sheep cheese for Vinny and my sister added the bottle of wine she had meant to give us earlier.

Life feels colorful and full and so well-rounded that I hardly know what to make of it.

I spent the rest of the day alternately between unpacking, visiting, cooking, playing frisbee, sitting in the back yard with Vinny, and more unpacking.

Slowly (oh so slowly) the house is starting to take shape. Despite the brief interludes of fun I had today, I managed to almost entirely unpack another room--yes, and an important one--my writing room! Well, not all of it, but the most important part anyway: my favorite books.

Welcome to a little corner of my world.

I am happy here.