Une Boulangerie Française

Volunteer Park dahlias

I've been finding ways everywhere in my life to procrastinate lately. I'm trying to change that, school is about to start and I really need to focus. Anyway, the blob has been suffering and it's because of pretty good reasons. I got a second job! In the most fortuitous and fitting turn of events, I'm now working at a French bakery. How appropriate, I know. Learning the names of every pastry was quick and painless thanks to the French. And hopefully I'll get to actually use it on a tourist sometime soon!

Back in Seattle

Other than working as much as I can, my roommate and I have been having a wonderful time walking around and eating all the good food we can get our hands on. Until yesterday, the weather was pretty consistently sunny and warm, so walks were a regular occurrence. Last Sunday we made our way over and strolled among the dahlias that are blooming all over. And I'm completely moved-in to our adorable little apartment, which is a relief. It's an adorable place in a building from the '20s. I couldn't be more thrilled.

The perks of working at a bakery!

Back and Forth

The furnished half of our apartment.

The last two weeks have been vaguely insane and really, really good. I have one job so far, and a second interview this week (gotta pay that rent). And I'm almost fully moved in to my new apartment. I spent most of Saturday with my future roommate, Alana, and Katherine taking load after load over to Katherine's new apartment. And in the process we were able to go grab the rest of my things. Suffice it to saw, I've been covering lots of Seattle by foot and quite often with boxes in my arms. It all seems to be coming together and I'm happy to be getting back into the swing of things here. I'm mostly excited to have endless dinner parties in our minuscule kitchen and to finish decorating.

Rediscovery

The last few days have been tiring, exciting, busy, and grey. Rediscovering the Seattle I so love has been interesting and sometimes shocking. Shocking is the amount of change...until I realize how long I've actually been gone. I forget that I haven't been in Seattle for over a year. I didn't remember that little fact until I ran into an old friend on the street and had a moment of "wow, I have absolutely no idea what's going on your life because I haven't seen you in, how long?" And even then, in that moment realizing I've been back in America for over two months! Time is rushing by much too quickly for me.

And then there's the streets I walked almost every day to and from classes, the neighborhoods and streets that have been the backdrop of time here, where now new condos, bars, restaurants, and construction sites have popped up. "Neighborhood staples" that suddenly I don't recognize the name of. But that's also a fun and exciting aspect of the rediscovery, especially now that I'm 21 and a whole new part of the neighborhood is open to me. Last night I got to take advantage of the happy hour wine special at our favorite French spot, Café Presse, while I reminisced and reconnected with a fellow Grenoble student. I'm excited to continue the friendships that started half-way across the planet.

The Space Needle...from afar

My search for employment continues (so if anyone out there has any connections, hook me up?), which means lots of walking. The resume dropping-off and schmoozing is punctuated by jaunts through adorable residential streets or a quick glance of the Puget sound perfectly framed between buildings.