If it’s Wednesday, we must be going to drive somewhere. Pretty sure it’s east. Straight east. Going to try to get out of Portland so that tomorrow we can just push desperately across and try not to think about anything. I’ve filled dozens and dozens and dozens of ziplock bags full of food, and my very kind uncle has cleaned my car, much to my total humiliation and shame, but also gratitude. Drug the children into Multnomah Village to prove... Read more
Since yesterday we’ve *arrived in Portland *been swimming in Lake Oswego *had a boat ride *eaten hamburgers *shown off our musical abilities on the piano *left our kindles and purses (not me, Elphine and Gladys) in the car so that someone during the night thought they looked interesting and tried to open the car which set the alarm off which caused a neighbor to call the police so that there we all were, at 4 in the morning, standing around... Read more
Matt’s been sending me pictures of the garden. So amazing how it just rises up out of the ground without me doing anything. Well, I mean, other than initially planting things that come back every year. Although, several times I have planted pretty things thinking they were only for one year, but then they come back every year anyway and spread out in every direction. Today we’re going on to Portland after way way way too brief a time in... Read more
It might be hard to believe this, but it’s been strangely restful over the last week not to be able to keep up my usual devoted attention to what’s going on in the world. Indeed, it was alarming, whichever day it was, to wake up, read that Britain was going to leave the EU, throw everything in the car, begin to drive, learn nothing more about it, and carry on breathing through the rest of the day. My appalling ignorance... Read more
I don’t actually have any links. I was kind of hoping some of you would link the best of the week all tidly in one place so that when I arrive at my aunt’s much later, I can collapse back and read all about Brexit, or whatever is today’s great trauma. Yesterday we dolefully said goodbye to my grandparents, and there was much weeping. And then we made decent time around the LA area, praying all the time that traffic... Read more
Wow. Britain voted to leave the EU. Wow. I wish I had the whole day to read the Internet. Wow. Going to think about it constantly, with no knowledge whatsoever, as I rush around and shove everything back into the car and try not to leave this beautiful house with any reminiscence of our filthy feet and scattery ways. My grandmother outdid herself in the matter of the tea party yesterday. Sixteen or seventeen people (I’m bad with numbers). Villeroy... Read more
Slowly adjusting my sense of time to the hours at hand here, like a massive ship trying to turn in one direction or another, but with Shlomo the engine boy refusing to cooperate. Meanwhile, the children accommodated themselves immediately and are careening around, enjoying the fine weather, and being told every three seconds to go outside. And then to shut the door. But not to bang it. I am trying to wildly and swiftly read some old sermons and letters... Read more
Well, I’ve had seven cups of tea, and washed away the grime of the car, and slept more than three hours, so it must be that we’ve survived the first leg. The children are all draped about on my grandmother’s immaculate Belgian furniture–the very same from when I was toddling round three decades ago. They are arguing about how often it’s acceptable to use the word “like” in a single sentence. So far I think we’re like hours away from... Read more
Sitting here in the dark listening to a lot of children snoring. Gosh I don’t want to wake them up. We have ten or so hours in the car today. Here’s my first practice video ever, from yesterday…gosh YouTube is hard. Pip pip. Read more
wild blue yonder. Off to California, Oregon, and lots of interesting places. Tried to put up a video but failed technologically. Selfies to come. pip pip Read more
Preventing Grace
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