as i take this new life in each and everyday, it seems impossible for me to tell those around me all the little differences between my sweet south and NC and this wild wild west. I have a great deal more to learn but here a few premature observations, some totally welcomed and some quite funny to this southern girl.

Driving notes: everyone is apparently on a Sunday drive everyday. Even the highway speed limit is 60 and everyone goes it. i'm like freaking dale jr. around these parts, heaven forbid anyone pass anyone or you may take out a biker or something. In town, slow as molasses, no on is in any dang hurry. Thank heavens the scenery is so lovely i forget to be too upset. They do have HOV (still not sure if a kid counts as a carpool) and Express lanes which is nice, but traffic is a whole new ballgame here, harkens back to our DC days. i am learning routes based on times of day.

Food: Highlight is that you have to search for chain food, like really want it, because the scene is almost all dives and entrepreneurs. bakeries and coffee shops are literally lined up right beside each other and always full. shocking they all stay in business but they do. Thai food is bountiful. You'd have to search for a Bud Light too because people love their micro brews out here. the really amazing thing to me is that EVERY restaurant you go to has vegetarian, vegan and gluten free options and marks their menus accordingly. heck, church offers gluten free bread for communion. allergy friendly peeps out here.

Rain ain't no thing but it is. Everyone still always talks about the fact that half the year is rain but yet they have lived here forever. Seems to be a strong love hate relationship. Umbrellas are a no go, raincoats are the way. But it doesn't stop anyone, you do yard work, errands, whatever regardless of the weather. i had my first long rain run today and it was a bit euphoric i will say, i loved it. ask me again in November.

Style and Manner here really seems to span the gammet from what i have seen so far. Tats and pink hair are pretty mainstream. We have found people to be very very friendly. Differences when meeting new folks don't seem near as extreme as Portland did. Women do breastfed everywhere, which was also the case in Portland, so you get used to a little more boob, which is no problem for me, whatever works, in fact i don't think i have seen a single hooter hider, that would probably be odd here. funny.

so i carried on but just wanted to share a few observations, and we will keep on learning! Cheers to a new week!