On Tap Lately | Moving, Owls + Reflecting on the Seasons

The winter solstice is just a few days away, and what better time to check in, reflect, and look forward than the changing of seasons? So much has happened lately (here’s what has not happened: a single blog post in the past 55 or so days).

We spent the summer filling our bucket, both literally (mostly with sea water over and over and over) and figuratively. As a New Englander, I think I’m conditioned to soak up as much sun and sand and general pleasantry as possible before the days get short and gloomy. Also the whole beak incident happened. By the time September rolled around and the babes went back to school, I was feeling equal parts restored and desperate for alone time.

I sort of spent that precious and fleeting alone time doing things like taking Clark to the vet (again: he’s fine) and taking myself to the dentist and trying to clear out our closets and whatever. And suddenly it was October. I packed up for WELL Summit (and a long weekend in Brooklyn) and had such an incredible, inspiring, uplifting, community-centered time. And it was kind of exactly what I needed. I should share a whole post on that soon — I just need to revisit and decipher the copious notes I took on my phone.

A couple of days after returning to Boston… we found our dream house in a suburb just outside the city. And days after that, our offer was accepted. And days after that, we decided to list our condo in Southie for sale. So minutes after that, I went bananas decluttering and cleaning and also that same day some guy hit my car while I was on the way to pick up the kids from school. So basically, my heart rate was so high in October + November that my fitbit thought I was just, like, exercising for two months. (I wasn’t.)

We celebrated our sixth wedding anniversary in early November. We packed. We accepted an offer on our condo. We packed some more. We found a new school for the kids. We celebrated Thanksgiving with our families and then went to a show about owls (the usual).

And on the first day of December we moved into that house we saw for the first time a month and half earlier, just in time for Nicky’s third birthday (which I still can’t believe… and semi-related: I found his little blue hospital cap while packing and didn’t know where to put it, so it’s been in my handbag for months and sometimes I just hold onto it for no reason– I am basically a creep/normal mother). There are entire rooms that are empty (this is what happens when you move from a small-ish city condo to a real house with real space), but it already feels so full — in the best way possible. Nick and I sat in the living room last night, listening to the kids screaming with laughter in the playroom. And I felt like my heart was just bursting (but not from an elevated heart rate this time– that has sort of subsided).

We heard an owl calling out the first night we were here (and could identify it because, duh, we went to that owl show thing) and it felt magical. Mostly because the only part of Harry Potter that I semi-understood was that the owls were magic and delivered mail. But also because we now live in a place where we have trees. And owls. And neighbors with young children. I think our family is going to be really happy here.

So that’s what I’ve been up to lately.

Happy (almost) Winter Solistice. Thank you for all the love + support during this season of life. I am grateful for each of you.

P.S. It was a great horned owl.

Also On Tap for Today:

• Making these adorable house-shaped Pop Tarts from A Beautiful Mess
• Maybe starting to wrap presents? #lastminutelarry
• Probably researching birds +/or Harry Potter

What are you most looking forward to next season?