Out of Nowhere

I'm dipping down again and trying to remember all the things that are positive and for which I am very grateful. Sometimes, just doing tedious tasks helps as it's better than feeling this weight of sadness and accomplishing nothing. Amazing the ways emotions ride through me and grip my being. I can wish it weren't so and certainly contributing, productivity, creating, caring and humor help tremendously. I am not addicted per se to reality TV but I can be a fan of a certain individual and be happy for the serendipity when an unknown is discovered. A current contestant on America's Got Talent, Landau Eugene Murphy, Jr.has been employed most recently detailing cars in West Virginia and has always longed to perform as a singer. It's likely as a result of this show that his life will never be the same. I wish him and his family success and happiness. His story gives me hope.

Hurricane Irene

It's very rainy here. Very. Hurricane Irene is sweeping through our suburban landscape and since we had to take down a towering pine adjacent to the house years ago (as a result of long term damage from carpenter ants) we are not feeling the fear of tree branches descending from above. As in The Wizard of Oz, if a house or a tree should blow in and land on our house, now that's another story. The house is tranquil, kids elsewhere (college, camp, sleepover) and I allow myself a favorite distraction- a new favorite tv series, The Hour, courtesy of BBC America.

I don't begin to understand what is going on in its very elaborate plot- but it's well done, well written and intriguing. Perfect to watch as the rain pelts the neighborhood and the wind makes its own symphony in the leaves.

Delivery & Pick-Up- A Love Story

Lots of things happen when you are a family. Kids grow up- embark on new adventures. Develop passions for people, places and things independently of you and goals change as they evolve. Certainly for us, a true milestone occurred when we dropped our first born off to start her freshman year at the University of Vermont in Burlington. Good weather meant pushing the organization envelop and getting on the road much later than was desired. Nora did allow us to help get her stuff up to her room and then graciously permitted her dad to help rearange the furniture. We had to run to pick up a few forgotten necessities (hangers, anyone?) and when we returned her space was magically transformed in to something that looked exactly like her. Leaving her in smiles as she pushed us out the door made me happy for her and a little wistful for us. Her personal due date was perfectly timed, in the end.

Of course, being in northern Vermont gave us the crazy notion that a quick hop to Potsdam, NY to pick up the current object of Jacob's desire was all doable. The beautiful ferry ride was not a good prediction of the arduous drive along the battered roads of the Adirondack State Park. We managed to arrive at the sporting goods store, Wear on Earth, minutes before they closed to pick up the mountain bike that my son found online. He too was full of excitement, smiles and gratitude for all the effort it took to get him there. We got to take a break to eat dinner by a lovely setting and then, a mere 6 and 1/2 hours later we were home. James and I spent 30 hours in the car with 5 hours off for good behavior (read sleeping) in a Red Roof Inn in Rutland, Vermont. Hopefully, the tedium of all the driving will quickly fade away and knowing we helped our kids fulfill their dreams will be all that matters in the end.

J'adore la piscine, et vous?

Okay, maybe the title of this post is a little affected, but most things sound better in French- don't you think? As we are in the final hours of getting my eldest off for her freshman year of college the opportunity to escape the piles, her clutter and imperious attitude is welcomed by me. Anything I ask of her is met with her standard response of "Not now, Mom. I'll do it later." (Read, how about never?) Whatever management style you choose to use with your children (i.e. when they were small and I would beg for a little time, "I'll make you breakfast in a minute.") will come back to you in SPADES. I mean SPADES. A sunny morning, kids otherwise occupied and I am out the door. No time to hang out under the trees with a book, but plenty of time to get in a swim. An empty lap lane means an hour of sheer uninterrupted bliss contemplating the beautiful abstractions that dance on the bottom of the pool.

Crack for Boys

Well, it's not exactly a chemical substance. It's more the lure of certain cars. Even at the age of 5 my son could distinguish a Honda from a Toyota, and by 9 he knew a Maserati from a Lamborghini. Go figure. My husband can identify more makes of cars than he can his own emotions. Must be a guy thing. Personally I like automobiles when they work, get me where I want to go and are not an embarrassment to be seen in. The males in my family will test drive a car just to feel how it "handles" and will point out makes and models whenever we are out and about. Lots of references to V6, V8, turbo charged and Special Editions. En route to picking up Jacob from his camp in Pennsylvania it was a no brainer that we would stop back at a car show that James noticed once we were in possession of our son. My husband was suddenly very gallant about stopping at all the yard sales I fancied, even turning the car around in his pleasant anticipation of visiting the car show when it reappeared on our return route home. The vintage vehicles assembled were very, very shiny. And then, on the the last leg of our trip we passed a mint condition Corvette Stingray. A brief vision of heaven, on wheels.