Enjoying the mild weather in the city.....

The last few weeks have been great with mild weather and lots of fun activities in the city. Unfortunately Spring usually brings out my allergies, and they have been really bad for me. In between activities and fun I have to take breaks to sneeze and breathe...lol.

Been spending a lot of time with my amazing, kind, handsome, but humble (yeah right...lol) boyfriend. We've been taking motorcycle rides around the city, taking in some comedy shows, quizzo, and enjoying dinner out. We went out on an organized couples meetup for dinner. We met some great couples and made some new friends. With the kids, we went to the Philadelphia Zoo where we got on the hot air balloon. We went to see Thor at the IMAX theater....great show! We also went to Chuckee Cheese's the other day. OK, my kid is a teen and I thought he was too old for this, but he suggested it. Apparently, there's still lots of fun to be had at Chuckee Cheese's...lol.

Some of the new activities I've been exploring include dragon boat racing on the schuykill. Met a group by the St. Joseph's and Temple's boathouse. It was an organized training for beginners. We were trained on water for a bit, then we raced with another boat of beginners. I had a blast!!! Definitely doing that again!! The Free Library of Philadelphia has free author events almost every week and I've attended a couple of them. I attended a discussion with Former Mayor Wilson Goode and author Erik Larson. Wilson Goode discussed his new book about the US prison system, while Erik Larson discussed his research on WWII Berlin. I think the author series will be going on all year at the Main Library on Vine Street, an awesome place to visit. I spent a lot of time there when I was in school and it's great to revisit it now for these events.

I also visited a new meditation center on Samson Street I've been meaning to try for months. The sessions are very relaxed. They usually have social time and food, then there's a 30 minute meditation session, with a themed discussion afterwards. Loved it! I think this will become a usual activity for me as well. Just like my usual Thursday night live jazz at the Clef Club. This place is great! The artists are volunteers just having a weekly jam session, with guests who perform. And most of the time it's free! I've enjoyed some amazing performances and met some great people!

We have a Disney trip coming up in July. I'm so excited because I will be going with my boyfriend, his kiddies, and with my brother, and his kiddies! So I will be attempting to be taking it easy for the next few weeks, saving my energy and funds for the trip. Yeah right...lol. No....really. The amazing thing is that there is a lot to do with little or no money in the city including the author events, the meditation and social sessions, outdoor festivals and activities, and even some of the social meetups are of little or no cost. Lots of outdoor activities too, like walking, biking, hiking groups!

In the work front, my office finally moved to downtown Norristown. It was a long time coming but we're finally in our new space accross from the Courthouse. I do like our new location because there are a lot of more lunch options (lol...always thinking of food), more friends and colleagues to chat with, and it's close to all the places where I usually run my errands. The disadvantage is that my actual office space is smaller with no window, and parking is challenging. I will be looking into getting rid of some office furniture to make space and decorating my space with lots of outdoor stuff to try to bring the outdoors in. Most people pay for parking, but if you get to the area before 8am there's some limited all day street parking available nearby. I'm going to be trying out the parking situation for the next week or so. I also will take the train in some days since the new office is two blocks from the train station. My kid will be attending summer camp in Norristown, so I will probably be driving in most days during the summer.

My son and I are trying to wrap up his 7th grade homeschool year. It's been a bit challenging with the move and all our activities, but he's doing well. We are considering our options for the 8th grade school year. I have also been looking into finding employment in the city related to my special education degree. So exploring some other opportunities for my kid's schooling and for my employment will be the theme for the rest of the year. I'm in no hurry to change either, but definitely open to other opportunities in both fronts.

My mom asked me the other day if I was tired of the city yet, and if I wanted to go back to my house in the suburbs. No Way!! I'm enjoying every minute of the city life! I always have the option to go back to the suburbs if I want, but I don't see that happening right now.

Thanks for sharing this journey with me.....

Lots of fun and stuff.....

The last couple of weeks have been full of fun, attending activities like discussion groups, plays, live jazz music, and holiday gatherings. We got to spend some quality time with family and friends this past Easter. My son has been getting to spend time with cousins, friends, and out on the town at the movies, fairs, restaurants, and shows. At times I have to drag him out of the apartment. He's a bit of a home body, nothing like his mother...lol.

So, we're are toying with the idea of buying a scooter to ride around the city this summer. I'll have to get a permit and then have one year to get my practical license. Thought about getting a couple of bicycles too, but I am a bit nervous about riding bicycles around the city. Not sure I want my baby boy riding around the crowded streets. We may get them anyway and just take them around Kelly Drive and other parks.

We are enjoying the mild weather this Spring. Not enjoying my allergies acting up though...yuck. Looking forward to the summer in the city this year and enjoying all the outdoor activities to come.