For the first time in oh-I don’t-remember-when (it’s been that long) I made it to work on time. I’ve been late to work so many times; I’ve given up on the excuses because it’s gotten lame, really. I live closest to the office (5 blocks away) yet I’m always the last one to walk in every morning. Well today was different! At exactly 8:30am I was at my desk logging on to my computer. Go me!

Getting to work early isn’t about how early you rise or how much of a speedy Gonzales you are. It’s all about mindset! I woke up at the same time, did the same things except this time instead of singing show tunes in my head and hoping my office building vanishes and I wake up from what’s just a bad dream, I repeatedly told myself that I wasn’t going to be late for work. And viola! I wasn’t.

The atmosphere today was a bit nostalgic. We had a crisp, chilly, sunny, beautiful-colourful-foliage day. It reminded me of fall back east and for a brief moment I missed Maryland. It’s my favourite season; I always welcomed the cold and crispy air after the horrendous summer heat waves. I miss fall in Montgomery Village. I miss our little street with the hilly walk path at the end. I miss not seeing the forest and Lake Whetstone from my bedroom.

I miss our neighbours, David running and screaming after Cherise (the dog). Ed and E with their ‘dog farm’ and the pesky little notes they leave on our door. “Prince” Nassim, the cutest and happiest baby you’ll ever meet and his chef father who’s always trying to sell us something. I miss the wrinkly old lady who sunbathes (in a skimpy bikini) in front of her garage in the summer. I miss running around the lake; I miss my little jungle and the tunnels. I miss the Einstein Bagels at the village center, and the guy who used to give us bagels for free. Well, I just miss Einstein bagels!

I miss the sign that said ‘Montgomery Village’ but then part of that area was Gaithersburg so they had them change it to ‘Montgomery Village Ahead’ that was always comforting to see, especially when coming home after a 13 hour ride. I miss the Montgomery Village Avenue’s (major road) 25 miles an hour speed limit.

I miss those cold and blustery winters when we got snowed in. I miss that we have to drive everywhere to get anything… so I’m thinking why did I give it all up?

Well, I’m watching the new Fox show Tru Calling with Eliza Dushku and there’s this scene where she’s running (she does that a lot on the show) and then I see it’s actually Gastown! So I start screaming “OMG! I know this place, it’s Gastown!” and then I realised… it was all worth it! It’s the small things people!

~[m-w’s word of the day]~

PLAYING: Lucky – Biff Naked

READING: The Nanny – Melissa Nathan

WATCHING: Tru Calling

QUOTE: “How could I ever get over you when I'd give my life for your's”