I just had my first “real” day on the job today as a travel nurse, on my very first travel assignment.

I LOVE being a nurse, and especially a women’s health RN. I’m going to make the most of this excursion back into my career.

That being said, I do not like cities.

I enjoy visiting them – I live in a rural enough area that culture and good food are not easily found. Or sometimes ever found.

We love to travel to other cities to eat great food, get immersed in the culture and history, and then go back home.

It was important to me on this travel nurse adventure that I had a home that was an oasis.

I drive 37 miles to get to work in the city, and it is about an hour, door to door.

I spend the day in a very urban area. I’m close to the freeway, and there are no local restaurants around the hospital. Getting gasoline nearby risks being carjacked.

I do enjoy my job, though. It is rewarding, challenging, and sometimes terrifying. I clock out before the sun sets after a 12 hour shift. Then I get in my car, and start my Audible book.

I drove home to my apartment, spending a few minutes on the interstate before I left the crowded six lane freeways for two lane country roads.

The closer I get to my apartment, the deeper into the woods I got. The roads are hilly and curved, and I blew past bright wildflowers on either side of the road.

Billboards were replaced by broad sky, which tonight was filled with a huge thunderhead sparking with lightening.

Home at last, I took my sweet dog on a walk, pausing to listen to the distinct rush of a creek nearby, even as I took in the sweet aroma of honeysuckle.

This is what grounds me.

I want to be with my family. This is just a short chapter in this year.

I want to make the most of it.

In the mean time, my dog and I are going to go watch the sky from the back porch, listening to the rush of the creek.