I am convinced that a cafe, a cup of chai, and gigantic snow flakes can bring a smile and rest my soul. I have been pretty down lately - a lot of changes happening, that either I am not ready for, didn't expect (when do you really expect negative things?) or just downright don't want to deal with. I found that one of my loves is snow shoeing... there can be three feet of snow and you can glide right across because you have these awesome things strapped to your feet! I've learned that my heart really has been out West all along. Learned that I can hack it in the academic world, and if all goes well, I'll write about it. Learned that the East coast is just not my thing. Learned that I miss my friends and family terribly, but that I absolutely HATE the phone. I find it annoying and monotonous to be on the phone. I'd rather text or email or just talk to you in person... which will be difficult for the next so many months. I learned that my body needs to get stronger - ankle is still swollen, and I am not allowed to do much on it now. I have to learn that rest + time = wellness. I don't like to be still... stagnant. That means boredom and laziness. It's snowing here now - loving it. We worked with Habitat for Humanity yesterday and one of the other crew leaders and I got to work up on a scaffolding machine - it was awwwesome! We un-drilled... if that's a word... screws holding sheet metal on a barn, because the sheet metal was being donated to Habitat from the ranch owner, someone supposedly everyone would know - famous businessman who wanted to remain anonymous. Silly if you ask me, but at least he's donating? Ah well. But that was pretty exciting - first job we have had since we started and we were all ready to go. I felt like a little dare devil stepping on the plat form and leaning over the edge to use the drill, stepping out on the roof and removing the sheet metal - all with a harness attached of course. I am so ready for this challenge. Tomorrow we work with Habitat again and have just been learning a lot of lessons - so many things. Sending love to the home front. Hope all is well. More later.