small summer

Yosef and I met the falling sun on the front steps, trying to scrub away the black crust from camp pots. We'd gone canoing earlier, past people jumping from trees into the water under the beating heat. Summer is coming to a close; the geese plump enough for flight, the trees whispering "we are still green but not for long", the period of convalescence from the academic year not quite enough for those returning to high school, but already too long for those not going anywhere at all.

they landed!

Yesterday a little before midnight I got in the car and drove to the airport. I passed a car in flames, smoke billowing mercilessly, a figure a few yards in front silhouetted by the street light.

Papa and Yosef seemed quite cheerful when I picked them up, despite the fact that one of their suitcases had been taken. I can only imagine the surprise of the person who took it when they get home: opening it up only to find it filled with ice picks and other mountaineering gear. (we got it back today though so it's okay).


currently on level 31 of this game: http://gameaboutsquares.com

girl on ground

1) Yesterday, Yulka and I went to Vegi Galaxy (black bean burger for her, chickpea and mushroom for me) before wandering around Central Sq. and inevitably ending up at the Arts&Craftsman store. We indulged ourselves in calligraphy pens and ink.

3) We then watched The Double (2013, UK) though I should probably read the Dostoevsky short story. Also recently: Man on Wire (2008, UK).

Welch-Dickey Loop from a couple weeks ago

4) Karen and I met up for the first time in a long time at the beginning of the summer, ate at the Border Cafe in Harvard Sq, walked from there to Northeastern. We followed up last weekend with pizza and coffee. The distance between people vacillates.

5) I dreamed I was dancing on water. I had to make sure my weight was distributed equally on the soles of my feet and that I moved quickly not to fall through into the lake.

6) Our refrigerator broke over a week ago. The snow my brothers gathered and kept through the years melted. The oldest bag filled with water and small twigs is from winter 2008-2009.

7) Sima did not manage to keep it a secret when his tooth fell out. He was too excited, running up to Mama and me to show it before washing it, putting it in a sandwich bag and under his pillow to be replaced by a Sacagawea coin.

20 teeth 6 letters

I've been coming up to make sure Sima's tooth is still there when he goes to bed: two days ago I tickled him, yesterday I convinced him to growl at me like a lion.

yesterday got six pieces of mail: one asking for money, one returning my old US passport, one postcard, and three letters. My day was made.

twentysomethings

Boston: Yulka and her boyfriend. We ate brunch at Church, and then
drank mimosas on the esplanade, watching the rollerbladers, dogs, their walkers, and bikers pass. Laughed at being twentysomethings in the middle of a summer day.

Tooth Fairy

Sima has a loose tooth. He told me not to tell Mama when it falls out - so that he could check if the tooth-fairy is real.
When I told Mama (in front of him) that he has a loose tooth he squinted at me and smiled distrustingly. The main reason he believes in the tooth-fairy (as he told me a few months ago) is that he always gets a golden dollar coin under his pillow "and nobody has that many dollar coins". Similarly, he still believes in Father Frost (Ded' Moroz) because he got a watch from him last New Years, and Mama and Papa knew that he already had a watch.

I watched the Germany-Argentina game, grow more cynical than ever when I read the news, and met up with Adrienne in Central Square when she visited from Vermont.

the rain

I want to go outside because the downpour smells warm through my window. The trees are relishing the wind and the lightning is tearing the thunder asunder.


Went to Baxter State Park with my family for the fourth of July weekend but the tornado made us too miserable to stay a third night. We canoed in the rain and walked quickly in a vain attempt to escape the gnats and mosquitoes (they do so relish our blood).

The prodigal daughter has returned to write again.

movies: Cabare (1972, USA), Blade Runner (1982, USA), F for Fake (1973, France, in English), Magnolia (1999, USA).