dreams

A college writing professor of mine told us, "No one wants to read about your dreams," but mine last night were so clear. My mother and grandmother were there; we were all going somewhere, a particular where, down roads I recognized until I woke up, and all the animals were back, alive and alert, noses quivering in the gathering twilight. You know how they can always smell a rabbit, or a porcupine . . . and the lake spread out, clear and black.

Why

I received this news from someone who is so witty, savvy, and just great to talk to/work with today, so all prayers are just needed, whether or not you're inclined that way:

Anyway, at the end of June, I was diagnosed with pneumonia, but it turned out not to be that. It turned out to be blood embolisms in both lungs and advanced metastasized lung cancer. I was sent to ER immediately on 6/29 for 5 days and have been scanned and poked an biopsied and diagnosed, and every test gave more and more bad news. . . .

Please send your positive energy out.

How to spend the afternoon

ouch

I really need to get to my repairs. Pippo is a sock doll that I made for L about 14 years ago. He's been so well loved he needs quite of bit of surgery. I had hoped to get to him last week during a quiet afternoon, but none of those presented themselves. Underneath him is a rabbit in need of stomach surgery. This afternoon (or tomorrow . . .). I promise.

Return

I can never seem to unpack the day I get back from any trip—or even the following few days. The reentry is somewhat circumspect, especially when I discover the vine I've been training has been painstakingly removed by D, in an effort to be helpful in my absence.

All my photo things are still jumbled in their bag; the mending of Pippo is still undone. I have one more chapter to finish before I can send out the invoice. Summer stasis.

The week's over, and

we're back. Phew, what a great week. Each day, we started at about quarter to nine and didn't stop until eight or nine at night, what with our photography, activities, contra and square dancing, meals, and getting to know new people and deepen friendships we've made in other years. Four years ago, we had our first inter generational week here and we've had great times each year, mixed in with the interpersonal dynamics between teenager and mother. I learn something about our relationship, and how to manage my own shortcomings, within this intensive context that I'm not able to in the daily fray of life.



Our group would never, I think, have gotten together in any other context than this one: we were a mother/daughter; father/son; grandmother/granddaughter; and, interestingly, cousin/cousin. This last pair came with several family members, and they all paired off so that there wouldn't be any mother/daughter mother/son pairings! We really coalesced as a group during our first gathering after dinner on the first night. L and I had to share the digital camera, but I had brought a little 35-mm for me mostly to use. Here is L, putting some new film in for me:



There is something about the mountains of western North Carolina, and the school, that brings an immediate sense of peace, and a sense that you can really tap into your ability to dig in and create. I don't know how many people have felt true joy in making something, and expressed that joy in so many ways—not just in the thing itself but in the way they manifest themselves. They really glow.



You can really sound out your different beat here, and know you'll receive an answering rhythm.






When we got in the car to go home, we really would have rather stayed.

It's a great day,

because I met my first blogger in person! Stacie came in to the shop to show us her great jewelry; what a wonderful person. So talented, enthusiastic, and downright pretty.

I was worried a bit, as I always am before a new situation presents itself, but I certainly needn't have been. Having read each other's blogs had already broken the ice, and I felt I already knew her. She has dived right in, gotten to know people, and already has a studio. I'm looking forward to seeing more of her, as she and her husband plan on settling down here.

I'm off next week with L, going here. This will be our fourth year, and we're both anticipating another great week.

8 Random Things Meme

Blackbird
has tagged me for a meme in which I post 8 random facts about myself. I feel quite at a loss with these kinds of lists, but here are some, which I'm sure aren't very surprising:

1. I love turtles; I mean I feel a connection (if such is possible) and I always go out of my way to remove one from the road by getting it across. I've moved a huge snapper with the aid of a box and a shovel, and many smaller ones. I'd love to help out with sea turtle hatchings.

2. Given the choice between a big, gooey slice of chocolate cake or a glass of crisp white wine and a bowl of tiny Nicoise olives, I'd choose the latter every time.

3. I don't like to pump my own gas; I get D to do it.

4. I had a brief, but intense, affair with eBay, resulting in a Louet spinning wheel and an old Bernina 830 that I just love.

5. I've always wanted to go to Finland; now, with this blog, I can (though she is away for the summer!)

6. Fashion confuses me now; I'm stuck on waistbands. Where have they got to?

7. I love to read children's books; in fact, I just got The Penderwicks yesterday at Barnes and Noble.

8. I am absolutely petrified of the dentist. When I was a child the dentist, without any further ado, came at me with the Novocaine syringe. I leaped out of the chair and he shouted at me!! (Talk about trauma . . .) Now when I have an appointment, I am in a foul mood until it's over, at which point I'm practically in tears.

There!

Post-mall

Well, we arrived 5 minutes before the doors to the various stores opened, so we were able to proceed in a relatively calm manner once inside.

Belk's first, for two great dresses (we even both agreed!).

On to Banana Republic, for a skirt, and black sweater (more agreement!! I'm feeling better and better) and a rather nice silk scarf for me.

Then to Anne Taylor, for a really nice blousy cream blouse (agreement on both sides! what's going on?).

A brief pull into the teen vortex that is American Eagle, where something in my bag made the alarm go off as I went IN and then again as I went OUT, but none of the teenage clerks seemed to pay much attention.

Out of the mall and over to lunch at a chain Chinese restaurant, P.F. Chang's, which we enjoyed quite a lot, though the poor waitress had to recite a little patter about the three dipping sauces and bottled whatnot's that she brought to the table; I overheard her giving the same recitation at the next table a little while later.

Thence to Barnes and Noble Books; I was looking for that meat book by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, but they didn't have a copy and I think I want the British one anyway. L looked for some summer reading material.

But she got lots of good ones at the library on the way home.

Blue Monday

Today, I have to go to the mall, something I've been dreading, because I hate it all: driving on the interstate; being in a vast enclosed space; breathing in all the fumes created by my fellow shoppers; escalators (what if something gets caught??); the utter sameness of any and all items for sale; the blank looks; the big bags; the huge Cinnabons being consumed; too-tight, too-low-waisted pants. If I go on, I'll just crawl back to bed.

But I promised L, so off we go . . . (oh, and the interminable waiting outside the changing room, that's another one).

visitor

Yesterday morning, D said, "There's someone here to see you." I looked out the kitchen door and saw



D put out a bit of lettuce, but he wouldn't have any. I carried him off to the woods; something tells me he is not the same one who arrived last week.

Later, it stormed and stormed, thunder and lightening, the sky darkening until it was quite like night.

I looked out, and there in the driveway, head out, was the turtle, basking in the downpour. He stood for some minutes, before suddenly turning, and hiking back over the edge of the liriope and into the woods.