Bits and pieces
July 16, 2007 at 17:15 I wondered if America would feel foreign to me, but it doesn't. I've loved slipping back into my former life and especially enjoyed spending time with friends in familiar settings, just having the years peel away and not having any sense that we've been separated by time or distance. I know it sounds trite but I have to say it anyway: I feel so blessed by friendship, so rich in relatiionships, so glad to be connected to a community and to a place.
Last week we made some bold moves regarding our future and there are many more decisions to make, but in between the heavy lifting of long-term decision making were many smaller moments that I just cherish:
Visiting the Westmoreland Berry Farm with friends and sharing barbeque sandwiches and ice cream sundaes made with fresh fruit while sitting under a covered patio overlooking acres of fields and orchards.
Watching the kids pick up with their old pals and play with abandon, swimming in the lake, having "chicken fights," catching fish, enjoying the pool, catching grasshoppers, digging holes, and doing all the things kids do.
Spending two hours sitting on the floor of Border's looking at art and papercraft books, which always seemed to be on the lowest shelves.
Reading two novels back-to-back and starting a third one. (For some reason, I only read novels when I'm on vacation. At home, I normally read non-fiction, blogs, and magazines.)
Watching Tour de France coverage every night on TV, cheering for the Belgians, and preferring the BBC broadcasts to the American ones.
Having bagels and coffee at my favorite bagel shop, enjoying not just the food but the sense of revisiting a place where I spent so many ordinary yet happy moments.
Driving without anxiety.
Looking at houses and imagining a new life.
Having Southern food: turnip greens and ham, hashbrowns, pinto beans, BBQ, sweet potato fries, iced tea, banana pudding, biscuits, cornbread.
Reading my hometown paper.
Finding everything on my shopping list and indulging my passion for paper and art supplies.
Sitting on Rock Grrrl's balcony every morning with a cup of tea.
Discovering that while it is sometimes difficult for all four of us to be in a small apartment, it hasn't been quite as bad as I feared it would be.
Strolling through gigantic malls and shopping districts and realizing that after my initial visit to Target and Michael's Crafts that I was DONE and not really interested in doing more shopping.
Picking up my new glasses, which have progressive lens, and being thrilled that I finally can see at all distances.
Discovering that the Versace frames I splurged on are worth every penny. I love my new glasses so much that I don't want to take them off at bedtime. (And yes, I will post photos. I promise!)
Relishing the way the moist heat of a Virginia summer feels on my joints as well as the blast of cold air that hits me when I step inside a house, store, or restaurant.
Life is good--even if I do miss Petey, my handsome black cat.
July 16, 2007
Reader Comments (9)
OX :)
I agree with Nance's (above). This post DOES ooze with contentment. So happy for you.
p.s. What novels did you read?
My girlfriends gave me two books--The Sweet Potato Queen's First Big Ass Novel (a light, fun read on friendship) and a novel called Veronica by Mary Gaitskill, a literary novel that was a National Book Award finalist.
Now I'm reading Brick Lane by Monica Ali, which is a novel about a woman from Bangladesh who is married off to an older man in London by her father.