Mile Marker #11: GOALS GOALS GOALS

In which: Maggie’s insomnia rears its ugly head but that’s okay because TODAY IS THE DAY!! (Also, Utah is there.)

Today’s the day! I’m joining the 8-hour sprint an hour late but that’s okay — I slept like actual ass last night. I couldn’t get to sleep, so I was up until about 3:30am, then tossed and turned all night, then got up at 9:30 because Pig was so excited to see my niece. (I’m not complaining, it got me out of bed.)

I’m just a little zombified but I’m hoping coffee and food kicks that. I’m simply excited enough to jump right in. I think I genuinely have a strong chance of finishing the book today, and I’ve got seven whole hours of team sprints ahead of me. It’s gonna be great!!!

I already let my brother and SIL know that I’m doing this today, so I’m hoping they won’t interrupt me too much. (Although, I’m already scheduling a play break to hang out with my niece for a while.)

I’m a bit annoyed at the weather, simply because Maryland decided to get hot again only to piss me off. But I mean, at least the worst of the summer is behind us (I freaking hope) and hopefully there are just a few more heat waves between now and beautiful, beautiful fall.

I was kind of cracking myself up last night moping about how much I miss the Utah weather. It’s funny because I was absolutely miserable there mental-health-wise, but good lordt if that wasn’t the most gorgeous weather I’ve ever lived in. Freezing winters with a ton of snow—but like, beautiful real mountain snow, not nasty city gray slush—and some over-100 days, but what I loved so much about Utah was that the “brutal” seasons were relatively short.

There were maybe 3-4 weeks of high summer with those torturous temperatures (and my car’s AC went out the first year I lived there, good god). And winter doldrums may have stretched on a little by the end of the season, but it was well worth it for the absolutely stunning springs and falls. Seriously, the most beautiful weather I’ve ever experienced.

Mom and Dad came to visit me in the April I was there (I think 2021? math is hard), and Utah put on its prettiest dress just for them. (The same thing happened when I visited in September 2020, which is why I ended up moving out there.) I’m talking high-60s with a light breeze, sunny skies with kids-movie clouds, and evenings that dipped into the 50s but with that beautiful clear crisp mountain air.

Man, I miss that sh*t.

I do also know I’m a “grass is always greener” type, but I ALSO also know that there are very specific things I miss—the weather, my adorable little house with its tiny fenced in backyard, my BEST FRICKEN FRIEND who might be visiting next month, the scenery. I don’t miss being alone all the time and feeling completely cut off from my family in the midst of concurrent family emergencies.

Yeesh, not great times. But yeesh, what a beautiful place. I’m sure I’ll be back—I’m hoping my next stop includes Montana and I can spend a little time goofing around back out West.

But that’s an idea for another day, and it’s time to dive into actual sprints!!

HERE WE GO!!!!!

Til next time,
Mags