Last day at home
Today is the first day in well over a month that I have been at home alone. James left early, early, this morning on the first leg of his own journey, six months in Africa, beginning in Uganda. He arrives the day after I arrive in Delhi. Marcus, the Brazilian student, is gone, too, in Albuquerque now, and flying back to Brazil tomorrow, three of us en route at the same time. Juliet is at work, Linnea at school, and Tom is teaching.
Fortunately, most of my preparations are complete. This morning I still went downtown to buy a blue microfiber towel , very light and very absorbent, and a tiny flashlight.
When I came home, it was mid-morning and the winter sun was slanting low into the front garden, lighting the new bench where the stone cat lies sleeping softly. I sat down and pulled out a pad to jot down a few thoughts for my family. Are they aware that I wash the kitchen floor at least twice a week? Seneca joined me, lying in the shade of the bench. I saw that the goldfinches discovered that I'd filled their feeder a few days ago.
Later I packed my bags, then unpacked them and packed them again, three times. I have one small suitcase on wheels, a good backpack, and a shoulder bag with more nooks and crannies than I could use.
The crannies begged me to fill them. Soon I had my whole collection of Dog Beach stones spread out on the carpet. Very carefully, I chose a few small stones to take with me, perhaps to leave in some special place, or with some special person. I also chose ten very small ones to form a tetraktys . Moving things about to pull out the little drawstring bag I wanted to put the stones in, I came across John Strohmeier and Peter Westbrook's book on Pythagoras, Divine Harmony , so I packed it along with the novel, Sister India , I'm taking for the plane ride.
Seems like the right stuff to take. Now, anyhow. I wonder what I'll discover I've forgotten and what I'll never even take out of the suitcase.
Tonight I'll have dinner with my family, then, in the morning, take the bus and the train to Berkeley, and spend tomorrow night with my grown children in Berkeley. How lovely that I am able to spend time with all my children before setting out on this great adventure! At 6 AM Thursday, I'll board the plane to New York where I'll meet Roxanne and we'll fly together to Amsterdam and to Delhi.
I think I'll be a different person when I come back.
Fortunately, most of my preparations are complete. This morning I still went downtown to buy a blue microfiber towel , very light and very absorbent, and a tiny flashlight.
When I came home, it was mid-morning and the winter sun was slanting low into the front garden, lighting the new bench where the stone cat lies sleeping softly. I sat down and pulled out a pad to jot down a few thoughts for my family. Are they aware that I wash the kitchen floor at least twice a week? Seneca joined me, lying in the shade of the bench. I saw that the goldfinches discovered that I'd filled their feeder a few days ago.
Later I packed my bags, then unpacked them and packed them again, three times. I have one small suitcase on wheels, a good backpack, and a shoulder bag with more nooks and crannies than I could use.
The crannies begged me to fill them. Soon I had my whole collection of Dog Beach stones spread out on the carpet. Very carefully, I chose a few small stones to take with me, perhaps to leave in some special place, or with some special person. I also chose ten very small ones to form a tetraktys . Moving things about to pull out the little drawstring bag I wanted to put the stones in, I came across John Strohmeier and Peter Westbrook's book on Pythagoras, Divine Harmony , so I packed it along with the novel, Sister India , I'm taking for the plane ride.
Seems like the right stuff to take. Now, anyhow. I wonder what I'll discover I've forgotten and what I'll never even take out of the suitcase.
Tonight I'll have dinner with my family, then, in the morning, take the bus and the train to Berkeley, and spend tomorrow night with my grown children in Berkeley. How lovely that I am able to spend time with all my children before setting out on this great adventure! At 6 AM Thursday, I'll board the plane to New York where I'll meet Roxanne and we'll fly together to Amsterdam and to Delhi.
I think I'll be a different person when I come back.
posted by Eve at 7:47 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home