Jan 11 2013: First Impressions of the Semester

So we are pretty settled in our new place.  We have the bottom floor of a house near the red line in Boston - bedroom, bathroom, living room, dining room, kitchen and a room with just enough room for a twin bed,  and a laundry in the basement.  So far I have only been on the red line one time - on our way back from returning the car that DH and DS used to scout out neighborhoods and places to live while I was home with my friend who is staying in our place while we are gone (she will also be taking my mom to exercise, beauty shops, and doctors).  For the most part this will be a walking semester for me...

We are close to many stores, restaurants, shops - it will be nice to have the kitchen set up and food in the cupboards.  There was a lot of food left by the previous tenants.  We have had the cranberry juice but I think that is all.  It seemed like a gift at first, but after looking more closely it seems to have been left just so they wouldn't have to deal with trash cans!  Before I arrived my husband went to the store and got fresh chips, oatmeal, Gouda cheese, milk, yogurt, bag of salad, cherry tomatoes and string beans.  We don't know what he was thinking!  Today he bought some of the ingredients needed for my birthday cake, coffee, coffee filters and I grabbed some flexible new cutting mats, spatula, wooden spoons, and hair dryer.  We probably bought more things that I don't remember.

This space where we will be living is maybe 25% of the size of our regular house, but instead of feeling cramped, I'm feeling like having this smaller space allows one to concentrate on what is important - or something. We'll see. It seems very freeing to only have three pairs of pants, three pairs of shoes, six pairs of socks and underware, three bras, 8 shirts, 2 polar fleece tops, a coat and a jacket.  Oh and three pairs of gloves, 2 scarves.

Our son is with us for a while - yesterday he and I had time to walk to Harvard as DH was already starting his research. We stopped at different places on the way there and back, just to get oriented.   Once our son has left for his university studies and my friend from Sweden has come and gone I will have a lot of time alone. So I have one week left with DS and maybe a week with friend.  Then alone.

There is really not space here for a sewing center so I will try embroidery and perhaps crocheting or knitting in addition to cooking, walking and reading.  I actually received an email for a special of $9.95 for a year of LiveMocha that I signed up for - but then the charge was $99.95 so I've written them to have that fixed. I thought I could work on German or Swedish.  There are stores with places here where one can use a sewing machine and have use of tables and supplies for $10/hour - that might be something to try.  I have taken classes that were three hours long though and wish they were longer so the time I need on top of the supplies would make for very expensive projects.  So maybe I won't sew until we return home.

I'm looking forward to the time and hope it all goes well.  I'm also seeing that I'll be on my own for much of this time so it's up to me to decide how to use the time and space.

Seems the nearest fitness center is almost 2 miles away.  I can't tell how much it is or if the classes would be appropriate for me.  Either I'll be getting fit or will just be walking around.....

I just have to decide what to do.  I didn't have time to think before - now I'm a little afraid of what the semester will bring.