City Baby, Country Mama

We are now officially contributing to the "city crowd" with our move to Portland. Mags has held up like a champ, barely noticing that we traded in her beautiful, brand new home for a ghetto ass apartment with wood paneling. And no air-conditioning. And no garbage disposal. (Maybe that is another post!) Anyways, she is thriving in her new environment, and if we could ever help her get over separation anxiety, she could actually enjoy being next door to her Gramma. It takes forever got get anywhere in this town, but the long driving trips provide a good nap venue and she doesn't fuss. She likes to eat out, and enjoys the new scenery.

Now, Country Mama is admittedly having a harder time adjusting. Besides living in a sub-standard *condo*, the traffic is driving me crazy. I had to leave my house at 8 am to be in Salem, and it took me 90 minutes to get there.....20 of which was spent ON MY BLOCK!!! What the hell is that? And, lovelier news yet, I started my new job and make a whopping 2000 dollars a month now. Gross. Gross is right. So, I took a 70% pay cut to come live in a crowded, ugly apartment in a city I don't know, and frankly don't feel like getting to know at the moment. It is also EXPENSIVE. I knew it was going to be expensive to live up here, and I knew the housing prices were high, but without 300,000 bucks you can choose to live in a crack ehr, I mean townhouse somewhere in North Portland.

Ok, this is supposed to be a baby blog, so I'll let it go. I am so glad I have my wonderful family to live with, otherwise I'd go crazy. I love you Ben. And I love you, Margot. Thanks for being my rocks.