Sittin On A Porch

Sittin On A Porch
Our little back porch

Sunday, July 3, 2011

Sunday Morning

Good Morning.  I am starting to feel like me again.  After 20 hours of trying to get home, nine hours on a plane that we could not move our legs and stretch out our knees, to racing through airports, hearts pounding in fear of a Customs Agent with a beagle, loosing pieces of the wheel chair and finding pieces of the wheel chair.  Then we drove home over the skyway Bridge to find that our loved ones had made sure that we were taken care of home coming night as well as the next morning.  Giving presents bought with each person specifically in mind.  Smiles and sparkle in their eyes.  Then waking up at 5 and giving up on sleep before 6 and getting up to start laundry, clean the kitchen and do the little things that are noticed when you live someplace.  Then the long drive home, mostly with the top up because of the rain.  Sweet, blessed, ozone smelling, hard driving, pulling off the interstate for safety rain.  Getting home to my kids, and getting hugs and kisses and such a lovely "welcome home Mom!"  


We had our first read through for the Radio Play that night, so as dead on my feet tired I was I also needed to see my beloveds here, Mary, Jan, Jack, Ron, Pat and Judy.  I apparently swerved and weaved my way there, getting pulled over by a nice, young polite sheriff, who I think was surprised to see a tired, worn out blurry eyed sober woman.  He checked out my driver's license and sent me on to rehearsal.  That was when I realized exactly how completely and totally worn out I was.  It was fun getting to see all the old and new faces showing up for the reading.  I had only planned on staying a few minutes.  Just long enough to get a hug from my dearly missed dear ones.  But I just could never get up and leave.  But it is not that I am able to sleep.  My eyelids are thick, my limbs heavy, but it seems like all I can manage to do is sit in my red chair, numbly staring at nothing.  


I kept notes from the trip and I am working at moving them to a word document.  I thought it would be easier to cut and paste with the photos for my blog, but it is going slow, as my attention span is quite short at the moment.  I keep saying to my friends, "I can't believe I am so tired."  Looks of disbelief stare back into my eyes.  "You have just spent 2 weeks not sleeping, but travelling in a different time zone, taking care of your dad, going nonstop.  That is enough to exhaust anyone!"  They are right, of course, and then when you figure I have that little "c" situation, but I just haven't felt the first bit of rebound.  But this morning, I think I can feel the turn around the corner.  I feel like I am just starting to rebound.  Maybe it is having enough time just sitting and resting, or maybe it is because my sister-in-law, Pat and her youngest, my Christopher are in Tallahassee and I get to see them today.  Plus the bonus of getting to see Pat's cousins, John and Meg and their family.  I love this family.  They are so comfortable.  From the first time I met them, I felt a connection, and this evening they are having a family cookout for the 4th.  I am planning on making brownie cookies.  


But what about almost a week of the trip?  Have I no pictures?  Have I no memories.  Oh yes I do!!!  And I hope to start posting those this week.  I would have sworn that I would have had transferred some of my memories to this blog.  But my mind is a just a jumble of memories, scents, sounds, temperature.  As my body and mind start to come back, I am getting anxious to write.  


I would like to start with some photos from one of Luis's latest projects.  It is the Madonna and child.  Luis made it with handfuls of clay, molding and pushing, cutting and caressing until his piece stands realized, the mold is cast and then set in bronze and finally the Madonna holding her infant is ready to be placed in its home.  The Madonna was commissioned by the Catholic High School that Ana, Luis's daughter teaches math at in Badajoz.  I think this may be one of my most favorite pieces he has ever done.  See for yourself:  







The regal cut of her face is without a doubt, his beautiful wife, Josefina.  I love the look of human determination.  I suppose others would look at these photos and see the divine, I see strength and intelligence, and a woman who knows who she is and what she is here to do.  

My clock is resetting back to the time here.  I still have to take time to just sit and rest, and what better time then the July 4th holiday long weekend.  I hope to finally get my notes transcribed, and then I plan on posting reminisces of the trip throughout the next week or so.  Trying to cut them down to bite size pieces and include photos.  It was a wonderful trip.  I am so grateful to have had that opportunity, and to have had the time to get to know my father in this moment.  To be there for him, and to be strong enough for the task.  To learn the patience and kindness to understand how hard this trip was for him.  And to have the memories and photos where I can go to visit them anytime I want.  To store all of this on a hard drive on my lap, instead of the hard drive in my head.  

And this is the weekend that we celebrate our independence.  But I think most Americans celebrate family cookouts and fire works.  A long weekend to celebrate summer, home made ice cream, potato salad, baked beans and water melon.  To gather together and at the end of the day, to sit and ooh and aaaah as the sky fills with magic and light and noise.  The things that we as Americans have made our tradition since crying for our independence and the right to self determine our own lives.  Traditions young compared to those I experienced in Europe, but no less traditions.  Similar in that most of the traditions I was lucky enough to participate in were mostly about family.  
family
love and celebration


2 comments:

  1. Beautiful. You and the pictures and the words.

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  2. Yes, compared to America, Europe is so old, part of what makes it so interesting. But in cosmic time, it all happened the day before yesterday. Yes, what I see is strength and determination, too. That is quite a piece for a high school!

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