Huzzah!

So we did it. We officially moved out of Illinois and into Vermont. We took a deliberately roundabout path that brought us to friends in Wisconsin and in Baltimore. (Our suggestion for Maryland's motto, in case the good people of the Maryland marketing board read this, is "Maryland: much prettier than you think it will be.") Finally, though, we've landed in the Green Mountain State. After trying unsuccessfully to find permanent housing from Illinois, we decided to sublet a furnished place here. The thinking was that while it is scary to commit to a year in a place without seeing it, we can live pretty much anywhere for 3 months. The only drawback is that it's been hard to shake the sense that we're on a really long vacation. It's not so much that it's so nice (though we did luck out and get a pretty decent place), but more that living with and using someone else's stuff feels a lot like staying in an inn. Also becuase we're finally living in a place that has multiple appealing restaurants. Also because there is a lovely little waterfall a short walk from our building's front door. And also, it must be said, because we're both still unemployed and our days are open. I've got faith that the last one will work itself out. We made the decision to value where we are over what we're doing for work while there. Having the choice is an advantage of not having kids and of living modestly enough to have accrued savings while both working part-time. Where I am, I can look out the window and see a mountain in the distance, as well as a pub with 17 beers on tap. For the moment at least, the decision seems like a good one.