tiredThere were these things today, things I noticed: the way the water cleared and cleaned the pot I made soup in, the scarlet strip of sunset out across the fields. Pheasants with a death wish on the long hill up to Lund. A perfect avocado: sliced in half around the pit, pulled open to reveal pale tender fruit, the pit popped up and a spoon to scoop, the lingering creamy taste of summer salads.
There were these things, too: that my daughter's head under my chin tilts it very slightly up; that my son stops in to give me hugs when he's been away from me for a few hours; that my husband laughs at my comebacks and moves his feet to make room for me on the couch.
I'm re-reading a humongous fantasy series (Marion Zimmer Bradley's Darkover books) which contains OVER 40 books in total, including anthologies. I don't have them all and am not planning on reading the short story collections, but am a little torn about the time commitment that this requires. I just started the 9th book and it's taken me about a month to get this far (with one interruption for a book club book) and at this rate it will be summer before I'm done. The reasons why I am re-reading the whole series are 1) it's been a very long time since the last time I read them and I've been wanting to immerse myself in comfort reading old favorites for awhile and 2) I have one of the latest books in the series and have this
Things that are occupying brain-space lately: 2 people I know have died recently and I am scared about that stupid "comes in threes" superstition, despite knowing that it's all coincidence. How we can possibly afford to add a short trip to Chicago into the middle of our already expensive summer vacation to the States. My weight, again. My tendency to live in the much-anticipated future so much that I forget to enjoy the moments of now. (I need that Field Guide, please go pledge, won't you?)
Reasons why I am evil and mean, according to my children:
- I often tickle them into submission when they won't do what I want
- They can only have 10 pieces of candy on Friday for myskväll—and sometimes it has to last all weekend
- They can only have soda on Friday and Saturday unless we're at a party at someone else's house
- Even on Friday and Saturday, they have to drink their milk first
- I make them go to the grocery store with me
- I rarely fetch things for them, even when they ask nicely, since their legs ain't broke
- I kick them off the computer to check email IN THE MIDDLE OF A GAME
- Homework first! Then games
- I cheat at yellow car with gold ones
- I say "Use your head!" a lot
- I don't give in to puppy eyes or blandishments or begging
- No one does Muahahahahaha! better than I do
