SpanishMintcovered

November 2 nd , I wandered around Gran Via and through the prettiest little winding side streets all overcast afternoon long. The sky is the kind of welcomed grey that only feels cozy with a scarf tucked tight and a name-graced grande paper cup. My Scottish plaid wool that was gifted to me 5 years ago by the sweetest old man, a café regular in Niagara on the Lake (who I think would have been overjoyed to know how many boarders it has crossed with me since), is caught with tiny falling oranges and reds, proud markers of a season changed. I smile at passersby, I let the gloriously crisp autumn air fill my lungs. It is an old familiar feeling, and while these late summer weather days have not been under valued or unappreciated, I hadn’t realized how much I missed this feeling. It has been 4 whole years since I had a real autumn season, having spent the last 3 in tropical climates (again, no complaints). I used to loathe the fall. I really and truly and deeply hated it gro

Saturday, October 21 st Walking home before 2pm on a Thursday, finished for another whole glorious weekend ahead, sinking my long nails into the juiciest orange as the afternoon sun is just finally peeking through after two days of grey & rain, scarves & sweaters. My skin bare & cool, still damp from a 5th consecutive visit next door to my school, the region's largest sports centre, falling so easily and willingly and wonderfully back into a daily routine of sweating and lifting and smiling back at other after-work gym-goers. A slower wander to the train station, Ed has me smiley and reminiscent of short lived international love affairs come and gone, equal parts quick & sweet. I think about then, I think about now, and I smile even deeper acknowledging all of the magic that has happened to keep moving me forward in this world. I have seen so many new cities and met so many new people since those final days in my Thai life, and  none  of those experiences have

Monday, October 2 nd It is 4:46pm. I am just home, 18k+ steps deep, utterly exhausted and positively beaming. I have been on my feet for 10 hours straight, minus two 40-minute train rides. I had a 15-minute break the whole day long. I taught 7 lessons today. I did not help or assist or enhance, I ran the entire 55 minute session of all 7 classes on my Monday schedule. I had half of this post already written in my head as I slow wandered home from Laguna station in the heavenly shade of all surrounding apartment buildings (a 28 minute walk from my school to the train station every afternoon along an unsheltered highway in 35 degree weather might kill me if this heat wave doesn’t break soon!), sipping my well-earned mango juice, trying to focus on the smile on my face and not the ache in my feet. But now that I am home and have collapsed onto my bed, I can feel my brain start to shut down into power-saver mode… Today was by all measures, and in all aspects of the word: a succe