It's been four months since we moved to California and I'm starting to think that's exactly how long it takes before you even begin to feel like you live somewhere. This weekend I went to a Junior League of Palo Alto event with my friend Kate, and last week I finally found a hair salon I like. I've also been spending a lot more time at my Pure Barre studio. Staying busy has been really great for me lately, and it's been such an important reminder that in so many aspects of life, you really do only reap what you sow.

We adopted Ender two years ago this week. He was just a little 8-pound pup, squeaky and full of yawns and with the sweetest puppy breath I've ever encountered. He's my best bud and I definitely don't miss having to take him out every two and a half hours, but sometimes I wish we could turn him back into a brand new puppy for just a little while.

With the exception of a few cheat days, I've been following the keto diet for almost a month now. For me it's basically super low-carb Paleo with a bit of dairy, and I'm still trying to figure out what works for me. I'm so happy to be back on a strict grain-free diet, and I've basically eliminated any and all sugar from my diet. (Writing my second cookbook helped me get back on track, too.) I think I'm going to write a recap post in the next couple of weeks with my thoughts on keto. If you have any questions about it, let me know!

I'm off to Palm Springs tomorrow for my fourth Alt Summit--can you believe it? It feels like just yesterday I was planning for my first one in Salt Lake City. I'll miss visiting Utah (The Grand America is so magical and I love the snow), but I can't say I'm disappointed to be skipping another bout of altitude sickness this year. I'm so excited to soak a little sun and, as always, lots of inspiration.

I feel like I want to read more poetry this year. Sometimes when I think about college I remember how exciting I always was to prepare for a class that was only going to discuss poems. I kept most of my books from college--especially the Norton Anthologies--so I have everything I need to get started again. I think I may just have to make time for an afternoon cup of tea and a poem each week. Doesn't that sound like a nice ritual?

I'm hoping to buy a new lens for my camera in the next few months--something for everyday photos around the house and "lifestyle" shots, I guess you could say. I'm missing What I Wore posts here, but I've had trouble finding a photographer nearby so I'm hoping to just upgrade my own equipment and do it all myself. Charlotte was such a creative and collaborative city and for some reason I'm struggling to find that in my new neighborhood.

Rob and I have been under the weather all week--he was sick at the end of our Charlotte trip and then I must have caught it. It's been pretty rough (I don't get super sick very often so I guess I'm kind of a baby), but at the same time taking it a little slow at the start of a new year doesn't suck, either. I've been on the couch, under a blanket for most of 2017 so far; just writing or snuggling with Ender.

What's new with you these days?

I miss Charlotte a lot lately. Rob and I both follow Not Just Coffee on Instagram and they posted about now being open 7 days a week at the location in our old neighborhood. On Sundays we would wake up in South End and wish that we could walk to the dog-friendy NJC with Ender, but we'd have to leave him at home and go to the Uptown location at 7th Street Public Market. South End Charlotte really is something special, and I have such great memories of taking Ender on long walks along the Rail Trail every day, often with a coffee in hand.

Ender and I are going to his first training session later this morning. He's always needed some work, but since we were living in our own house with a big yard all summer I forgot how quirky he can be. He's really been pulling me on the leash lately, and the squirrels in our neighborhood are going to drive him crazy. He also barks at people sometimes and it always makes me feel like a bad dog owner. I know it's going to be a lot of work, but I'm looking forward to meeting with the trainer and getting started.

Halloween doesn't strike me as a holiday that could make you feel lonely, but this year it kind of does. I talked to my great friend and college roommate, Caroline, on the phone this weekend for an hour and she was getting ready to go to a Halloween party at a friends' house. We had a really low key weekend which was much needed after all the traveling I've been doing, but at the same time I couldn't help but wish that we were on the East Coast getting ready to meet up with a bunch of our friends, whether they're in Charlotte or Roanoke or Richmond.

It takes so long to adjust to a new place--I keep reminding myself how much I missed Minneapolis when we first moved to Charlotte. I guess patience isn't a virtue I was blessed with.

Photo by Rémy Thurston.