Back in C'ville

      I knew we were back in C'ville when we woke up to go for a morning walk on the downtown mall and there was an empty pint of beer in a paper bag sitting in our recycling bin (even the homeless people recycle here), and then the first two people we saw were a funeral home director and a crazy person yelling to himself as he walked down the street. "Ahh the crazy people," I said to Ross. "I haven't missed them." But then as the day went on I remembered all the things I love about Charlottesville. The fact that I can walk out our front door and have 3 different coffee shops to choose from if I'm too lazy to make it for myself in the morning. There is always something for Ila to do whether it's going to the playground, the park (not the shady side though; it's shady in more than one way), the library, the children's museum, the gym, watching all the people and doggies go by on the mall, or even just a quick visit to the church office so Ila can pet "Ozzy," the giant German Shepherd.
    After living in Rodanthe for the summer where the economy relies primarily on tourism, yet good service is extremely hard to come by, I ventured to Target today to purchase a new diaper pail (oops left that on the back deck in Hatteras!) (I'm sure that was a lovely surprise for the renters) and I almost couldn't believe that someone asked me if I needed help and then actually helped me find something. Then I stopped by Chick fil A on the way home and was so struck by how nice those people are that I teared up a little. . . thank you chicken people. Anyway, Ila is still adjusting to her new environment and still asks to play "unda house?" (we played under our stilted house a lot this summer) but she's also so excited to be reunited with her little toddler buddies and her college buddies. She woke up the morning after we arrived and acted like it was Christmas morning when she saw her room and all her toys! Everything is new to her it seems. Though we miss the beach and especially our Virginia Beachians, we're excited to reconnect with our mountain-loving, croc-wearing, bearded composting friends. (Sorry to stereotype).

I will post some pictures of the summer and of our trip to Ocracoke soon!

Hannah