September 22
A bit of fiction, some fall travel - a real potpourri
1978
It happened while she was listening to Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons”. John had left two weeks before, and she was just beginning to readjust to single-hood again. The strains of “Spring” had gone unnoticed; it used to be her favorite movement. But on the first few measures of “Summer”, she stopped and thought “summer lover”. John had been wonderful in the spring. Bouquets of daffodils, crossword puzzles on rainy afternoons; he was perfect. But summer came, and he was gone, which made sense. He hated summer; their last week had been spent cooped up in the one air-conditioned room in their flat. Yes, it was definitely time for a summer lover.
Comment 2023
Every once in a while I attempt fiction. I’d rather read this story than write it, though.
1979
How about all those model children who grow up and can’t do anything right? The perfectionist who gets hit by a bus the only time he lets his guard down? What if our moments of perfection are rationed out from the hour of our birth? I think about the weavers who make a conscious flaw in their work. THEY know; if you knew, what would you do?
1982
One year ago tomorrow I found out I was pregnant. It’s amazing how well everything turned out, after all that worry. I had an easy pregnancy and a short labor. I’m starting to fantasize about my next pregnancy. If I wait 5 years I’ll be 38. Kiddo will be five; it’s hard to picture her at five ( or one year, for that matter). I just imagine her as a very tall baby. I wonder what kind of person she’s be? She’s so quiet and serious most of the time. But she’s very observant; doesn’t miss a trick.
1997
Fall!
It is a beautiful early fall day. The air is crisp, the sky is clear and intensely blue, the trees still green but with a yellow tinge. Today is the equinox, and we begin our journey into the darkening days. So far my work has been a daily joy, thanks to planning, relaxation and recreation, and to my family and co-workers.
The About Your Sexuality training was very good, though exhausting. This is going to be an intense year.
2014
Crazy day. Meetings on top of meetings inside of meetings. A student came to talk -- sort of -- they'd been assaulted last night and were still upset and is struggling with PTSD from an earlier trauma. Now I am worried about them. Also worried that my class on theory went from my brilliant imagination to a lead balloon.
2017 (Nebraska)
(Paper journal) I am staying at the ironically-named Quality Inn in North Platte. The wifi is weak and spotty, the room is dark, the outlets are inconvenient, and there’s a crack in the sink, which makes it leak a bit. But here I am. I am about to head to the Coffee Shop on Dewey for real coffee.
New places in town since last year: Mallory’s, an “Irish” eatery, and Pal’s, a brewpub (!!) Must try. I am definitely getting off to a slow start this time. There’s less of a sense of re-discovery, plus I had a terrible night’s sleep. I finally headed back to the hotel and took a quick nap before heading to Mallory’s for a late lunch. Time is precious this trip: only four full days.
(blog)
So here I sit at "my table" at the Espresso Shoppe on Dewey Street in North Platte. The cook/manager recognized me and we had a nice chat. I see a few of the of the regulars enjoying their morning coffee break. I am surrounded by discussions of 4-H projects, crops, and local gossip, all delivered in the familiar tones of the high plains. The weather forecast is for hot, the last day of summer, an eventuality I barely packed for. One skirt, one pair of jeans, one sleeveless t-shirt.
Tonight is the reunion meet and greet at a local bar -- I expect to see Jim Nisley and Mary Louise (ML) Allen, and meet some new people.
For now, I am not sure what I will do. Maybe get those reviews done. Maybe drive up north a bit.
(back to the paper journal)
Later: I am about two hours into the 50th reunion of the North Platte High School class of ’67 and my head is buzzing! This school was about twice the size of my school in Connecticut. That means people don’t know each other on sight like I did at the NMHS reunion. My “new friend” Joe says probably about 75% don’t live here anymore. I would guess for NMHS, it’s even higher.
Comment 2023
Sometimes I think that this project needs a roadmap, a time line of all the spiraling strands. The two trips to North Platte, Nebraska are a perfect example. I made the second one in 2017, just a few days to attend the 50th reunion of the high school I didn’t attend. Coming up in the October stack is the trip I made the year before and stayed for three weeks. I really wanted to settle in and experience the town the way it is today, and boy, did I. Without planning it, I spent the 2016 election in a very very red part of the country.
2020 (California)
Lovely day with Katie yesterday, walking all over town. Today I wrote some more, then zoomed a tiny bit with the new residents back in Maryland. Katie has landed in a very nice place. Spends her time spinning, weaving, and thinking. Has given up on all three of the research projects she was working on before retirement. Worth considering.
2023
Another day, another memorial service. And another one tomorrow. Sometimes being older feels like living in plague times.
2024
Fantastic day yesterday! I finally finished and posted the short essay that had been buzzing in my ear for weeks.
And I finished the most beautiful spiral hat, made with Deja Vu yarn from Ewetopia. It’s a blend of recycled wool, alpaca, llama and mohair - soft and lustrous, and just look at the colors! Why did I only get one skein? (Answer: because I am too frugal for my own good.)
