It always takes my breath away for a moment, stepping out of the walkway and into the bright sun, when the expanse of perfect green opens its arms and welcomes me home. The team, well, it's bad to the point of depressing the eternally optimistic/drunk, but the building, even with its uncomfortable seats, creaky scaffolds, and troughs for washrooms, is still charmed.

I've been spending this week doing exactly nothing and it has been lovely. No plans, no schedule, not giving the alarm clock even a cursory look - it's been good, just what I needed.

My sister is off to Italy for her one-year anniversary and it reminded me how hectic things were around this time last year. This year, I'm relaxing, slowly getting ready for the start of research, and visiting the loved ones to whom I never did get to say goodbye. The grass was just as lush, and the arms were just as open.