the morning routine

So, on the mornings Chad and I wake up before it gets too hot or too muggy, we go for a 2.5 mile jog around Mt. Lebanon. It has a quaint, homey and boutique-y downtown area that we enjoy passing through. You can smell the biscotti being made in the bakery on the corner, the coffee being brewed by the two mom & pop coffee shops, see the local dentist office turning on its lights and the small music store putting its clearance rack of old guitar books out on the sidewalk and propping the door open. It makes me feel at home.

My favorite part? Seeing the water bowls the shop owners set out for the many dogs that get walked during the day. That makes me smile.

here's to summer

I'm about to encounter my first Pittsburgh summer. Here comes the heat and humidity!

I'm doing a bit of traveling this summer: CT, Dallas, NY, SC.

I'm working six days a week at a summer theater workshop, directing one show and vocal directing another.

I'm going to visit all of these Pittsburgh classics: Kennywood, support the CLO and see lots of shows, The Science Center, The Pittsburgh Zoo, the aviary, a Pirates Game, and Ohiopyle.

The last seven summers were foundational. If it weren't for that place I would never have met and married my husband, grown as a person or as a professional musician.

But it's time. Bring on some more new beginnings.

it's the little things...

Yesterday, I was on the couch in the living room, doing some work on my laptop. I left the room for a little while and when I returned, I noticed my screen saver had turned on, but it was different than the default one I usually see.

Chad had changed the screen saver to a text block that swirled around and said, "I love you, Elissa!"

Even though he's a goof, really stubborn and sometimes leaves his socks on the floor, it's those unexpected, heart-warming surprises that remind me what an awesome guy I married.

:)