aging – Peaceful Reader

May Celebrations

The weather is chilly here, I am still wearing a warmer coat to walk the dogs, and haven’t planted anything yet because it gets too cold at night. Every once in a while the sun is strong in the afternoon and feels nice and warm. I’m ready for the intense heat of summertime. I’m also ready for my school students to run wildly out the door, to be free for the summer, to put this year behind. I don’t know what next year will look like but these kids need a summer break.

Yesterday I drove back home after visiting my brother and sister-in-law in the Minneapolis area. It was cold there also. Friday night we had an excellent dinner with this chickpea soup prepared by both my brother and his wife and old family friends helped as well. I feel like I’ve known them my whole life and there is something so reassuring about having people in your life that knew you as a young person. Marv was one of my dad’s best friends and Marcia still remains one of my mother’s besties. It was wonderful to watch the two of them talk at the table together, heads leaning in. My mother broke her hip in a recent fall and uses a walker right now and Marcia has her own. Marv recently recovered from a very serious heart surgery as well. We are all getting older. Yep. The night was magical though and it was lovely to visit with both Marv and Marcia, sharing and listening to their life stories. My nephew Beckett interviewed Marv about his Cold War experiences guarding the Berlin Wall. I loved hearing Marcia’s stories about childbirth in the 1970s where she had to argue to have her husband in the delivery room. We’ve come a long way baby.

The next day we had a lazy morning (I slept until 9:30!) and then went to Excelsior, browsed and had lunch at Coalition. We celebrated Mother’s Day all weekend and my brother’s 49th birthday. We had four different delicious desserts over the course of two days. And then I made fresh cinnamon rolls for Sunday brunch before we left town. I should think about giving up sugar for a few weeks. My brother is an amazing chef and really enjoys planning a menu and sharing food with friends and neighbors.

And then we had to come home, back to reality, back to lesson planning and waking up early. I did come home to a lovely daughter, and another calling me to leave a happy message from Brooklyn, and a son who took time to call and chat about everything. I felt loved all weekend long and even more so pulling into my own driveway, reaching my home destination because my family was happy to see me and my dogs were so excited to see me. I could tell because of the full body tail shake!

I finished The Night Watchman by Louise Erdrich, an excellent read, Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi, the author of Homecoming, another excellent read. Now I am reading The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett, author of The Mothers, both wonderful stories. I’m trying to squeeze in lots of adult fiction before summer hits because I’m taking two classes and I have lots of award contenders to read before August. Librarian Life. Enjoy…

Not my best week…

I tipped over last Sunday and injured myself. I didn’t trip or fall, I didn’t feel myself go over. One minute I was walking and the next I was picking myself up from the pavement. It was weird. In my right hand, I was holding a glass water bottle which smashed against the pavement and into my hand. My left wrist took the brunt of my fall. It was slightly embarrassing as it was broad daylight (4pm) and there were people around. I’d come out of a play and was saying goodbye, and walking and thinking at the same time. It made me feel a little old and at the same time resilient.

I drove home with a wad of wet wipes in my hand to stave the blood flow from my hand and I made dinner for people that were coming to my house for a cast party. Both hands were in great pain and Groovy Girl was off with friends. As soon as she got home she bandaged my right hand and helped me clean but by that time I had the Mexican Lasagna recipe already cooking. I even whipped up my own fajita seasoning spice mix for the recipe. The kitchen looked like hell as I could just barely open bottles and didn’t have the energy to try to recap and put away. And I’m usually a-clean-as-I-go kind of cook. Everyone enjoyed the cast party and the lasagna. I had someone request the recipe; they’ll have to supply their own blood drips and pain.

I’m looking forward to a quiet weekend. I have a little school work to do. I have a couple of great books to read; I’m halfway done with The Self-driven child, a fantastic life book I wish I’d had when my kids were younger, my book club read News of the world by Paulette Jiles, and from my mom A spool of blue thread by Anne Tyler.

And while browsing around on Epicureous I found this great article about cast iron skillets which I use frequently in our kitchen.

Here’s to a better week ahead!

It's August! My month to rule like a queen.

My birthday is tomorrow (two days ago now)! While birthdays don’t hold the same excitement as I’ve aged-it’s still fun to have your own big day

Reflecting back on other birthdays that were full of flair I remember one party that involved our big blue boat, about 9 friends, and our small town yacht club (it did have a swimming pool). We boated and swam and ate cake. It remember the joy and the excitement of turning another year older.

I remember another birthday where I felt full of frustration. The day had been a boring one; no breakfast in bed, friends, or party plans and THEN my mom made me go take a nap. What!? Crazy. I wasn’t a baby or even a toddler anymore. I wish she’d have thought of some other method of distraction but no, off to my room I was sent. After a couple of hours I was summoned back down where a surprise party had been arranged. It was fun and I knew that was why I had been sent to bed so party preparations could be made; it was just so unfair to take a nap on what, for kids, is right next to Christmas in celebrations.

Now I’d pay money to have a good nap on my birthday, to be sent to my room for quiet time. And luckily on my day I did get about 2 hours to just read in the sunshine on my patio. I also had breakfast in bed, an hour of fun at our local pool, and a lovely dinner out with teenage boy/college son/making his own way young man, Groovy Girl, and handsome husband. After dinner older brother took Groovy Girl home so we could walk down the street for a cocktail with friends. It was a beautiful day and I didn’t mind turning another year older because I think this year could be the best year ever. Really. Lots to look forward to and many things to accomplish. All I have to do is do it. So cheers to a new year to check things off my list.