The past couple of months have been glorious. They've been full of quality time with family, old friends and newer ones. I can't possibly summarize all of the reflections I've had, but here are a few noteworthy moments:
#1: May 17th. My brother graduates.
I got in my little car on the 16th and trucked across several states to Pennsylvania to celebrate my brother's graduation. It was an exciting time of dinners and receptions and sitting through names being called--more because of the symbolism than anything else that I could put my finger on. Because Jer's grandfather was wed the same weekend, I was able to spend some time with him and with his family, as well.
#2: Memorial Day Weekend.
On Sat. of Memorial Day Weekend, I headed up to Boston. My friend Teresa was nearing her graduation from her master's program in Mediation at UMass, Boston, and had planned a little gathering of some friends from her program, old friends from Juniata and even a friend from high school. It was great to see some buddies from Peace and Conflict Studies retreats and choir--(Matt and Mark), as well as their lady friends! Teresa and I had some early-morning conversation on Sunday, and then I set off on foot to meet Emily Martin for a delicious brunch and some wandering in Somerville. Too short of a time to visit, but lovely.
#3: Last week of May, first week of June.
On Tuesday evening of the 27th, I headed to VA. Jer was in the midst of preparing for his motorcycle trip in the Western U.S. with his friend Phil, and I spent a couple of days working, taking a roadtrip to visit/meet with Greg Amacher at Virginia Tech (and hang out with Callie!), and visiting with Jer and my family. On Sat. morning, Jer and Phil and I hopped in my mom's honda civic (Phil) and in the big blue van with two bikes in the back (Jer and I), to head to Jer's friend Rhoda's wedding in Ohio. It was a lovely outdoor ceremony followed by a laid-back reception, and Jer and Phil got on the road to head to Denver immediately following. I hopped in the car and drove two hours to a cabin somewhere south of wedding #1 where several friends (Kerry, Callie, Bine) were staying following our friends' Thompson and Julie's (from VT) wedding. I was exhausted after getting lost and being pulled over for speeding, and caught up briefly with Kerry and Callie before crashing on Kerry and Parrish's floor in my sleeping bag.
The next morning, I grabbed some coffee and without even changing from my pajamas, hopped in the car to head towards Aurora's house in Dandridge, TN. Many hours, another close call with a speeding ticket, a check engine light, and an hour phone conversation with a potential housemate later, I was greeted by Aurora, her menagerie, and her family. I had heard so much about them--especially her father--and was so glad to get to visit with them and with Aurora. We ate Hungarian food, Tennesseeian food, played with the pupplers in TVA water bodies, visited with big animals, and sat on the porch. It was great. On Tuesday, I was back to VA, on on Wed., back to the Cape.
#4: Finding a place to live in CA.
Not three days back from VA, and I was on the road again--this time to CA. I set up a dizzying number of house visits, some of which I wound up canceling after finding a place with an artist named Penny who rents her two upstairs bedrooms. In between the surprisingly-delightful hours trekking around Berkeley and meeting people I didn't know, I got to catch up with some old friends!! I stayed with Steve and Kathleen, and caught up with Darren, an old buddy from Juniata, at the brewery where he works:
Trumer Pilsner.
An additional bonus of going to California was that I got to see Jer and Phil toward the end of my trip...and in the middle of theirs. All of us were tired but in good spirits; we ate sushi with Phil's friend Janet, and then got to catch up with Jer's brother Matt and girlfriend, Holly.
#5: Teresa comes to see me!
On Sat. the 14th, I awoke early and hopped in the car with Nora to go watch my housemate, Jared, and friend Michelle compete in a triathlon. As I was leaving the triathlon, the day still new, I get a text message from Teresa: "can I come down to the cape?" I picked Teresa up from the bus station early in the afternoon, and we were beach bums for a couple of hours. We cooked out with my housemates, and then all went to see "Sex and the City."
On that Sunday, I went for a walk with Cheri, and Stella the Great Dane--and then had dinner with Cheri and Ujwala, the daughter of Rama (another person affiliated with the center). It was a great weekend of girl time.
More recently...
Lisa and Brian and Holly stopped by for a short-but-sweet visit and backyard bbq on Tuesday. Unfortunately, we neglected to take pictures! It was great to see Holly so interested in everything and so very mobile, and to catch up with Lisa and Brian about their ever-active life.
Tracy came back from a conference in Bonn and some time with her family in VA on Tuesday. We caught up on so many things...shared some laughter and tears, and I started getting wistful about leaving.
I said goodbye to Frank on Wed., and then spent Thursday traveling to Dartmouth for a meeting with a colleague, and returning.
On Friday, I celebrated the solstice with Mike and Scott, Paul and Milene, Jared, Pieter, Nora, and two friends of Mike and Scott's on the beach. With wine, cheese, laughter, and a sunset. I got in the water at sunset, and it was the most beautiful thing.
Yesterday, Josef and Emily took Tracy, Jared and me out for the first sail of the season in the Wakonda. It was a simply marvelous way to spend the day, though it made my last day with Tracy seem all too short. We strategically said goodbye as she left for Japan last evening as if we were saying goodbye for a week--and knowing that we would see each other again, soon. Otherwise, I might have broken down. I hope this turns out to be true.
Now, I'm putting my life in boxes and trying to get rid of some furniture. And trying to fit work, walks, yoga and relaxation in everywhere else.
Everytime I say goodbye to someone here, I wonder how I could possibly find such kind and amazing people anywhere else--and then remember that somehow, every time, it just seems to happen. For some reason this doesn't help with the letting go--it makes it an emotional time filled with laughter, tears, music, hard work, packing, and reveling in the small things and moments spent together.
