Settling In

I've been in Pittsburgh two weeks already! To make myself useful while I'm here I'm playing parental stand in for Sherry while she is at work. Since she is a flight attendant, she's gone for several days at a time and in the past Steve has either gone to his grandparents' house or to Sherry's sister, Sue. But now that he is in his second year of high school it gets a little more complicated because he has more going on than just getting to and from school. Sherry has a large extended family so someone always steps in when the need arises and Steve always manages to get where he needs to go, whether it's to baseball practice or to a game or whatever. But with me here it just makes everything much simpler. Sherry can just go to work when she needs to and Steve can stay at home. No special arrangements need to be made. It's been a long time since I've dropped anyone off at school in the morning or had to think about making dinner for anyone else but myself! But I'm happy to do it. It's good to know that I can make myself useful while I'm here.

Have I mentioned that they actually experience a real bonafide WINTER in Pittsburgh? Thank the stars that we're at the tail end of it. As much as I hated Tucson summers, I really liked Tucson winters. Average daytime high in Jan-Feb.....mid 60's. When I arrived in Pittsburgh....freezing rain and icy roads. Within a couple of days.....several inches of snow. About the third day that I was here I was driving to the store and the snow flakes coming down were so big and fluffy and the snow on the ground was so soft and floofy that it felt like I was traveling through a Christmas card. It was just beautiful. Thankfully, the city is really on top of things and the snow plows and salt trucks were out in force. So driving has been fine. The weather is trying change, though. It was actually in the 60's on Monday but then dropped back down to the 30's on Tuesday. Today was sunny and in the 40's. But we're supposed to get more snow this weekend. I've been trying to remind my body parts that we lived in Central Europe for 6 years and didn't freeze, but my nose, toes and fingers are not buying it. After 15 years in the Desert Southwest I'm afraid I've become a winter weather wimp! But Spring is right around the corner. And then Summer. It's going to be so nice to actually enjoy June, July and August. But after that comes next winter.....in the Scottish Highlands!! Am I CRAZY!? Why, yes...yes I am. Why do you ask?

I had so much to do the last couple of months before I left Tucson that I wasn't able to keep up with my daily walking. And as much as I have missed it, though, it has been just too damn cold here most days to even entertain the thought! With the exception of a couple of days this week. I got in a good 6 mile walk on Monday and did my normal 8 miles today. It felt really good to put on my tennis shoes, turn on my IPod and get lost in a Jane Austin novel as I set off down the street. Ah, simple walking....not only good exercise but great personal therapy!