being thankful

another thanksgiving came and went and today on my first full day back in philly after the holiday, although the weather threatened to be sad and rainy, the sun has come out from behind both the white puffy clouds and the more somber gray ones below. the puddle on the mostly flat roof outside my bedroom window will probably dry up before i leave for good on saturday. i am happy to finally leave this city behind after five years three months two weeks and (what will be) five days from the day i left my parents house in indiana to drive out here and go to school.

i've lived in and around the city, navigating my way by car, public transit, and my cheerful red bicycle. in my last 6 months here, my bedroom on the fourth floor of a building caught between society hill and queen village has had a nice view of center city and william penn atop city hall. and in these past 6 months in this attic of a room, i've really come home. the exposed brick walls and dark wood floors have made me feel so cozy and protected and even the oddness of the sloping ceiling/walls that makes the room less spacious and difficult to move around in has reminded me of my childhood bedroom that i left behind. other apartments have not been able to compare to this one and i'm sad to leave it behind so soon after i found it. however, my loss is anothers gain, and the search for a roommate to replace me is well underway and hopefully soon to end. i think the room has been happy having me and in the future, this will be the room by which all others will be judged.

and now... homeward for 35 days, back to the town i grew up in. i haven't spent more than 7 days at a time back home since i left five years ago. and more, my stuff is coming with me and will stay at my dad's house for perhaps the next 4 years while i'm away; to where, i don't know. everything is so undetermined and yet, there are a couple dates to go by at present and markers to set my sights on.

for now, jill sits next to heidi saying their goodbyes. jill will take a tour of my hometown for 35 days before going into storage in my father's garage. someday she'll come out again and i'll apologize for my absense with new tires, a rack, collapsible baskets, new handlebar tape, and maybe a shiny new bell.