Summer has slipped into Fall...

Much has happened since our DC trip, and much remains the same... Isn't that the way life goes?

I've hosted two sets of AirBnB guests in the intervening two months, both sets from the Seattle area. Currently, a nice young man is renting the master bedroom Mondays through Friday morning -- he is a plumber working a job in Junction City, with family and home in Medford. And Christine, a retired gourmet chef, will move into Marshall's room on October 6th. I have the other two bedrooms listed for long term rental, too, and they each have a few nibbles of interest but nothing definite yet.

The garage apartment isn't done yet, but it will be. The main delay is my own procrastination – Jerry is ready to finish the wall, build a bed/storage unit, whatever else needs doing. But I haven't moved my junk out yet. I don't know why... just got busy with other stuff, and the rooms weren't renting, so there didn't seem to be a need.

Now there is a need.

I'm currently in Juneau, just finished a two day training

Loaded...

... and on our way.

Jerry and I spent the first week of August in DC -- I had a conference presentation so we went early and stayed late, and brought folding bikes as our extra luggage.

Even though DC weather in August is pretty close to hellish, we were quite comfy on our bikes (biking creates its own breeze). I felt sorry for the families with their young children, trekking through miles of museum and monument viewing in the 90 degree heat and 70% humidity of the day. They looked like they were melting.

My favorite time was touring all the Mall Monuments from 8 pm to midnight by bike. Did you know that the Park Service gives monument talks up to 11 PM?

After the expense account at the fancy downtown hotel ran out, we spent our last four days at an AirBnB room in Alexandria ($55 a night in a lovely home with great neighbors). A 20 minute metro ride (with our bikes aboard) to Alexandria took us out of the hustle and bustle of "the City" -- and we had frozen custard and sorbet at the same little place that Sasha and Malia treated their dad on Father's day (The Dairy Godmother). Our hosts were lovely kindred spirits, looking to reduce their footprint on the earth and reduce their dependence on the "american dream."

One of the things I am discovering, thanks to long conversations with Jerry and longer meditations on my own, is that the "american dream" is not designed for me. Rather, if I buy into the idea (and I do mean "buy"), someone else gets rich, and I become economically enslaved.

The bikes are a clean symbol of my emancipation...

Tally ho.

Ready for the next half...

I just celebrated my 50th birthday.

I am ecstatic!! I have thought that 50 is the perfect age for women since I was 8 or 9 and my favorite grandmother visited. She had just turned 50 and decided to take a tour of the country to visit family and friends. My grandfather didn't want to go, so she went without him.

She was so happy and energized, I decided then that 50 must be the age of freedom -- kids off on their own, husband safe alone at home if he wants to be, life settled, and time to relax and enjoy your life.

So, yes... Like my grandmother, my kids are healthy and independent, the (ex)husband is safe alone at another home, my life is more or less settled, and I have the time to relax and enjoy my life.

And I have a new guy whom I adore and who seems to like me. We're headed to DC next week – I'm presenting at a conference, then we're going to explore and be tourists. We're bringing folding bikes, and all our gear fits in two bike panniers each.

Grinning from (elderly) ear to (slightly deaf) ear...

Write Now...

My best friend Michelle and I have just started a "Booking Club" with a third amazing friend of ours. We are all three going to meet once a week (starting mid-August) around the goal of getting some of our writing published. We will write during the week, come together for dinner, and share our writings. At our first meeting we will set a date / goal for submitting finished pieces to the New York Times.

Why the NYT?

1) Because it is the New York Times

2) Because the big publishing houses are in New York

3) Because publishers read the New York Times

4) Why not start at the top?

Safe and Sound

The MonkeyGirl is back in Portland, and headed to Boise tomorrow for the bar mitzvah of a friend's little brother.

She seems older somehow. More mature. More sure.

She has a ton of stories (I've heard only a few of them so far), but I think this is my favorite –– The scene: A Bedouin tent in the Negev. Two boys from Jersey in one group, Sara with her group from Oregon.

Kid 1 from Jersey, to Sara:

My friend over there is interested in you.

Sara:

Strike 1 ~ You are talking to me and he's not.

Strike 2 ~ I don't do flings.

Strike 3 ~ I'm involved with someone.

end of conversation. G-d I love that girl.

updated July 3.

She's Safe! (and happy)

Sara called this morning from Israel, where she has been since the 16th. Pretty quickly after getting there, her wallet was stolen. That has been the only hiccup so far... and luckily, her passport was stored safely away from the wallet.

She was bubbling over with excitement. Apparently, there are thousands of photos from the group, so I am looking forward to the slide show. I'll supply the popcorn...

She decided to come home with the group on the 27th, rather than stay for 3 more weeks on her own. Was I worried? Who? Me?

I was "intrigued" at the idea of the girl wandering a war zone on her own. Thankfully, she decided against that.

whew.

Too soon

My nephew Paul died on June 4th. His passing was a shock, and left a hole in our world. Jake and Sara and I went down to the funeral and I've been thinking on many things lately.

The most powerful images from the funeral and the reception were glimpses of the amazing young women my nieces have become. Stephanie is 16 and lost her big brother; Kate is 23 and lost her punching bag puppy dog little brother. Both acted with incredible grace in the face of almost overwhelming sadness.

Poise

Twenty-three is not old enough
Sixteen much too young
to show so much poise
and be so strong.

To move with such grace
through so much pain
and to help so many
learn to smile again.

Though a brother is gone
too soon, too much undone
the sisters too early blossomed
into the women they’ve become.

kim

june 2010