Friday, June 12, 2015

last day Friday

Tidy up your life before you take off -- that's my advice for anyone getting ready to travel. You'll stay focused on your trip and return to calm rather than chaos. It's worth it.

For me, this would extend to tidying up the garden, which, unfortunately, with so much rain, has sprung an extended network of new and old weeds, all coexisting in a splendid fashion.

But a cool and wet morning means I have little interest in spending any time outdoors. Ed asks - should I put away the rooster? I don't even hesitate -- don't bother.

I'm leaving tomorrow morning, but if you're expecting diversity of destinations, you'll be disappointed. I'll be gone 2.5 weeks and I'll be in one country the entire time. Five days in the middle of nowhere, three nights in a city, five more days out by the cold waters of a northern sea, three final days in a city. Voila. Except they don't speak French there.

And today? Well, it did strike me that the cold and blustery weather is something I'm likely to get in the days ahead (no shorts or sun dresses in my suitcase and that's saying something!). On this Friday I attend to the details of daily life inside the farmhouse (after breakfast of course, which, again, is in the kitchen).


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(I want to note Ed's new pink shirt here. He went to his Friday machinists' meeting and claimed that no one commented.)

And then I visit Snowdrop.

She pulls at my heart, that girl! She gives me her most perfect hours -- every play minute today makes her happy. I want to tell her I love her to pieces even when she falls apart and cries her heart out, but she does none of that today.

I try a new taste for her -- mushed banana. I offer no commentary, just photos.


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Yes, I think we would agree -- avocado over banana.


Toward the end of the afternoon, I take her out for a neighborhood walk. Immediately she gives me her stroller countenance.


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I think a commenter has it right: Snowdrop loves this ride where she can zen out into her own world.

(She is in her navy play suit and I slip on her navy hoodie, as there's a cool nip in the air. Snowdrop typically elicits comments from passersby. Babies do that. Today, at two separate times she got the sweetest smiles from guys passing her: hey, aren't you the big guy! one said with a fond smile. He's totally chilling -- from another. Put your baby in navy and the world says -- boy.)


Finally it's time to leave. I hold that girl tight, really tight. Will I miss her? Will I miss her!

She gave me a bunch of hearty belly laughs today -- right from her heart. It's the image I'll have with me -- her rolling rumbling laughter.


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At the farmette, it's nearly dusk, insofar as you can tell on a cloudy day like this. Ed and I work a little in the yard. I transplant a daylily. We pull weeds. I feed the cheepers bread while he holds Oreo. I take my photo of today's bloom.


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I love all this so much! Imagine how strong the pull of the other side of the ocean for me to want to take off.

Postings will be off schedule until I settle into the next time zone.

Goodnight for now. See you in travel.

9 comments:

  1. Oh, that face over the banana! Yes, I think avocado wins over the banana, at least for now!

    Safe journey, Nina.

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    1. thank you! (I'll work on her and the banana when I return!)

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  2. Oh my! Banana photos made me break my only one Snowdrop photo a day rule!

    Hope the trip is GREAT!

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    1. Thank you and you too... eventually! :)

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    2. Looking forward to it... but not until I've been to my LEGO Serious Play Creative Problem Solving Institute Conference session!

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  3. I'm guessing this destination has lots of mountains, lots of islands, and maybe some whiskey involved...

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  4. The Banana Face just made me throw my head back with laughter! My husband gave me the amused-side-eye. He would never read someone every day like I do with you. Men, they just don't engage the same way we do.

    I was interested in the men commenting on "the little guy" wearing navy. I looked again - nope, I cannot conceive of Snowdrop being other than a girl.
    I made note of the navy idea, though, for my daughters are all into finding gender-non-specific clothes. (Insert grandmotherly scoff)
    Still, in my usual I-respect-your-opinions mode, I have recently found a little dinosaur sleeper (with dinosaur feet) and a little primary colored car sleeper.
    Footed sleepers for bed, because their house was warmer in winter than it is now.

    What you said - that you love this all so much - home and family - that it's hard to leave (well, you didn't say that, but I inferred it) .... you said, actually, imagine how strong is the pull of travel. Well, you are uniquely you, and you thrive on varying environments - refreshing time, alone time, thinking time, away from the routine, however satisfying the routine... all will be there for you when you return, more appreciative than ever.

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    1. I would write more, but I'm about to board from Detroit, but do know that I so agree with every point you made here (and you made a whole bunch of fine points!).

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