Tonight The Captain set Rattle and Hum going on my iPod while he cooked up a saucepan of fresh Chai tea. When he exited the (cozy.snug.intimate) kitchen space, I moved in to make dinner. I've been listening to Rattle and Hum for fifteen years, and it still sets me dancing barefoot in my kitchen, and ready to bolt barefoot out the door to solve all the injustices in the world. Thank you, Bono and crew.
Love has come to town, in the shape of my amazing parents. They are here for four (yes, 4!!!) weeks.
We are all buzzing with the joy of having them here. One wonderful influence of their presence is seeing our happy life from the outside, all over again. We really love it here, but over time life has become routine and busy and my mind is often preoccupied with getting where I want to be, even if it is only a few kilometers away from where I am now.
Yesterday was an absolutely idyllic day. My mother and I went out on a hunt to find an apple tree (the provision for it was a gift from my favorite husband, for my 30th birthday, which passed this week). After way too much driving around and fruitless searching, we finally found one tree (I'll need two for pollination), and returned home triumphant.
The backyard was abuzz when we arrived. We spent the whole rest of the day, outside in the warm sunshine, under the bright blue sky, all happy and industrious. Picnics happened under the trampoline. Naps occurred on blankets in the garden. We planted the apple tree and a butterfly bush. Spent zinnias were cleared out to let light in to bursting dahlias. Children rode around and around in their garden wagon. The dog alternated between mad races up and down the length of the yard, and lying, content in the company of the family. Laundry flapped on the line. It was perfect.
My parents, fresh from the deep snow of a Cape Breton winter, couldn't stop exclaiming over the perfection of the weather, the sweetness of the children, and the happiness of the day. And they were right. It was amazing in its simplicity. Everyone was occupied with some small task that enveloped and interested them. Finch was obsessed with stealing my spade and moving dirt around.
The only reason we finally tidied up and poured inside was to keep our first-ever Skype date with my brother and his family, since they moved to Africa. If only my sister had been able to get in on the Skype from New York, we would have all been "together" for a moment.
Having my parents here lets me see my life from a fresh perspective. Sometimes that means seeing an area that needs a little work in our parenting or routine, but mostly is just adds a shine and a glimmer to a very happy life, made even happier by their presence. I can't wait to do all the fun things I have planned: Caves, Apple picking in the mountains, petting Australian animals at a local wildlife park, an Australian road trip, and all the little, wonderful, everyday moments in between.
Oh how my heart aches to be with you all!
So happy you're together!
Posted by: Adelle | 20 April 2011 at 06:16 PM