September 9

Tomorrow will be our one year Davis anniversary. I think we have adjusted pretty well and the newness has worn off. The new grad students are arriving and some old ones have already left. We have made wonderful friends, but of course we miss the ones back in Oregon. I suppose when we leave here though, there will be things we will miss also so let me focus on things I like about Davis. I like the weather and being able to swim outside and have bbqs and picnics for four months out of the year while not worrying about if it is going to rain. I like wearing my chacos for nine months of the year. I like the farmers market and the co-op. I like how close we are to a convenient airport. I like being able to purchase alcohol at the grocery store like it isn't a forbidden item. I like the fresh tortillas and a bakery that makes tasty sticky buns. I like that the plants outside live year round. I like having strawberries for six months out of the year. I like not having to walk Lulu in the rain. I like playing soccer on Saturdays. I like my book club. When I first started this blog I heart CA was a joke, I was a hard core Oregonian dragging my feet. I did not want to become the Californian I was supposed to hate. Now there are things I like and dislike, but I don't hate California, or the people who live here. Are they bad drivers, yes. Do they have ridiculous prices for housing, yes. But they also have a beautiful state that I have enjoyed exploring this year. Am I proud to be one of them? Maybe not yet, my Oregon roots are pretty deep.