Adulting

Since my last update a couple of weeks ago, life has been surprisingly busy... just not in the sort of way that makes for exciting travel posts.

I've been trying to strike the right balance between staying active and giving both my knee and kidneys a chance to fully recover. I'd been hoping to make it out to the Oregon coast by now, but it's one of those trips that deserves an entire day to enjoy properly. Between follow-up appointments for my knee, kidney, physical therapy, eye exams, and a seemingly endless list of other adult responsibilities, I just haven't managed to sneak away yet. The coast is still very much on the agenda.

The good news is that I'm officially an Oregonian! 🎉 Friday I finally switched over my driver's license, and the whole process ended up being much easier than I'd feared. One thing I found especially interesting was learning that Oregon allows "Continuous Traveler" to be used as a residential address for people like me, provided you can establish residency in the state. Given how many van dwellers and full-time travelers call Oregon home, it makes a lot of sense.

While I haven't been tackling any big hikes yet, Altan has been making sure I still get outside. We've been sticking to shorter outings and spending plenty of time playing fetch so he can burn off enough energy for both of us. We also went to a Concert in the Park together, which he absolutely adored.

Unfortunately, this happened immediately after his grooming appointment.

Poor guy went in looking like a majestic shaggy Muppet and came out looking... well... like a slightly unsettling little gremlin. Thankfully, he's blissfully unaware of this transformation and remains completely convinced that he's the most handsome dog in existence. He spent the entire evening enthusiastically soliciting pats, treats, and admiration from anyone who wandered within sniffing distance. Honestly, his confidence is something we should all aspire to.

I also decided to step a little outside my comfort zone and attend a local social mixer. Making new friends as an adult is a strange experience, but moving somewhere new seemed like a good excuse to push myself into meeting some new people.

Finally, I started the process of applying to become a substitute teacher here in Oregon. I've officially been selected to move forward, so now it's on to licensing, background checks, and all the paperwork that comes with becoming employable again. With a little luck, it shouldn't be too much longer before I can start picking up assignments between adventures.

The weekend wrapped up with one more unexpected opportunity. I was asked if I could help volunteer at a fundraiser for The Healing House. After a very quick online crash course to earn my Oregon Food Handler's Card, I headed over to help with setup before the event.

Once things got underway, I spent the evening helping people with raffle and drink tickets, pointing guests toward the staff when they had questions, and enjoying the event in between. The Healing House is an organization doing work that's genuinely important to me, so I was really grateful to be able to lend a hand, even if it was only in a small way.

Overall, life has been a little less about dramatic scenery lately and a little more about building a life here in Oregon. Hopefully my next update will include some salty ocean air, fewer appointments, and maybe even a properly recovered knee.Read more