Fall brings a chill to Dublin air and time for change

Oh, it’s been a while. The crazy hours at work have finished, kids are back in school, and summer is gone. I thought that being out of the educational system would mean that September no longer felt like the beginning of the year to me, but it absolutely does, and particularly right now as my day-to-day life is in the process of changing quite a bit.

 
We are in the middle of moving out of our little house. I wish we could stay longer. Maeve is going back to London though, and Danny is moving in with another friend of ours. So I had the choice of calling it quits and moving back to the States four months early, or moving in with Kev. It actually wasn’t an easy decision, but for the time being I’m going to see how it goes at Kev’s.
 
Things I’m looking forward to at his house: HAVING A DRYER! Having a blender, having super intense water pressure in the shower, having a nice view, having a usable outdoor space, having more company (seven people in the house), paying half as much rent as I am now, and being closer to town.
 
Things I will miss: having my own space, water that is consistently hot, warmth when it is cold outside, Danny and Maeve, my really pretty walk to work, proximity to a favorite park, fridge and cupboard space (there is twice as much fridge room here for the three of us than there is there for seven), quiet evenings, and my nice neighbor who always says hello.
 
So I’ve been trundling my belongings one suitcase at a time the 15 minute walk up to Kev’s, and trying to dig out some space for myself in his room. I think we’re going to be OK except for the shoes – no idea where I’m going to put them.
 
Other changes – choir has begun again! We’re singing in a festival on the west coast of Ireland in a few weeks that I’m really looking forward to. And today at the library I picked up a flyer for a small local college’s evening adult education courses – very strongly considering signing up for a beginner’s drawing class. I may join a gym since I’m not great at making myself exercise when it’s really wet and windy. And finally, Kev is now in the final few weeks of his PhD: super intense focus and very little sleep and high stress. Can’t wait ‘til it’s over! (For more reason than one of course.) So that’s another big change to come as well, when it’s finally finished.
 
I’ve celebrated the arrival of the chill in the air with the purchase of my first tweed blazer, and today I dug out my corduroys and scarf – back to my “real” Irish clothes. I arrived here in the middle of winter and it’s already turning cold again. Who knows what else the new season will bring!