You Want to Play Cranium With Me?

I can spell "delicious" backwards, I do a mean Eddie Murphy impression, and I can draw a toilet with my eyes closed.

Weekend Ends

Church last Sunday was especially wonderful. Jewel Showalter spoke and she tells the most engaging stories! BJ and I met up with Steve and Meg outside my house where Joella was in the midst of her home church luncheon. They welcomed our entrance to their party; but our mutual space and discreet goals complicated our desire to eat lunch and leave for Denver quickly. The four of us hurried off to Chestnut Hill Cafe and sat freezing outside in the sunlight of the blustery day. That place gets crowded of a Sunday afternoon!

We talked about city vs. country life. (Interesting, a similar topic occupied the conversation of many Arcadian writers and romantic poets.) Stephen believes firmly that Burnham, Pennsylvania, specifically the "Burnham Riviera," is the best town the world has to offer. So why, I wonder, does he seek a life in the navy? Possibly, home is most dear when we gaze at it from a distance.

We traveled to Denver, (close to Ephrata, non-locals) to attend our Uncle and Aunt's open house. Four birthdays (ages 20, 40, 50, 52...?), Abby home on leave, and a beautiful April are more than enough reason to celebrate with the Buckles family. Steve and Meg were fawned over for several reasons: our family is not accustomed to being in the same room with one another, they are having a baby (a BOY, in SEPTEMBER!), and they are just so good-looking.

Abby is radiant, despite days and nights spent training in a submarine. Nicole is a wonder-person--anyone will feel comfortable in her presence, what a gift! Mom came, dressed in magenta. Grandma and Grandpa came, full of new experience. Their hearts go so deep now, I wonder if I will ever know them. Uncle Ralph showed all the newcomers to the food table, happy enough to direct the friendly chaos. Aunt Lisa held a little baby most of the time, flitting about through hall, living rooms, and porch, the kitchen her constant center.

Camera flashes and goodbyes later, Mom and I returned to Lancaster. She settled into a "nap" while I drove to a frisbee game. Loss, 8-5. We had a Bob Evans breakfast in the morning, but my mind was already turning to my English Portfolios.

No time, no time to reflect. The garden winds that remade me, the family that I treasure, the breathless motion of springtime... little by little I remember to live. Two weeks until the end of junior year.

Weekend Continues

Last weekend was so packed that it merits three separate posts. Steve and Meg and I left Lancaster with our packed lunches and some non-specific directions. The day's goals: Longwood Gardens and the Brandywine River Museum. The day was windy, and clouds moved quickly in large mounds across the sun. We wanted to see everything. We started with the outer perimeter of brand new treehouses and the hourglass lake where catfish swarmed from under the bridge to gulp at the tulip petals I dropped. Those hideous beasts. If they were any bigger, I am sure I would have felt some fear.

We visited the DuPont house where a very large kitty was reclining on some cacti. Visitor after visitor stooped and petted her; the only indication that she was still alive was the rhythmic rise and fall of her massive belly.

We passed through the tulip beds: squares of the densest tulip patches humans can manage. A block of bright orange, a block of streaked yellow and red with fringes like leather jackets; a block of sedate and orderly small-headed purple; a block of magenta; light pink; large white-petalled towers over tiny violas.

At the far end of the tulips, a cat slept on a bench near a sign which told us of the important role the cats play in the garden: they catch rodents in exchange for (a seemingly endless supply of) food, shelter, and more loving tourists than Cinderella at Disney World.

We traveled into the trees near the belltower. A limby North African tree stood at the bottom of the hill near the Magnolias lining the road. Oh, that tree needed a friend. Sometimes fathers will build jungle gyms in their back yards so their kids can climb all around and see the world from a thousand different angles and turn upside down and look up into the sky. God built this one. I climbed high up into it. There were no signs. I am pretty sure I'm insured.

Our legs were getting tired. We could use a rest. We passed through a side door in the wall of apple trees at the edge of the vegetable gardens and found three chairs around a little garden table. I half expected wood elves to come serve us cider and honey wafers to restore our energies. After a brief respite, we turned the corner out of the alcove to find that we were right back in the action of the gardens.

We went into the conservatory where we experienced the perfume exhibit. Wow.

As we walked down from the bonsai room, there was Kelly Neibert. Just walking along alone. "Kelly!" I thought. But in reality, I just stared into her face as intensely as possible, so she would be sure to notice the stranger to her right. We talked precious little. She was busy. We were leaving.

We braved the long lines at the gift shop to buy Aida a mini gardening set, and an African violet for my aunt. The Brandywine River Museum was closing when we arrived. We went to a Thai Restaurant and loved it. We were tired. We rested in my living room where I watched and they made fun of the new Twilight movie, New Moon. Really, Twilight, guys? Yes, really. When we see the next one (and we will!), we plan on muting it and adding our own dialogue. You're invited to come see the magic.

Weekend Begins

[The part of my brain which communicates immediately and thoroughly through the written word is broken. I want to tell you about my weekend. But...? Why is it so difficult to move beyond the garbled nonsense? You know, good writers begin with this crap, just to get their minds on the plain of the page, then erase it afterwards. Well, I believe I'll retain it somehow. There has to be a way to work in matters of such delicate transparency as the true beginning of a piece...]

I was excited for work to end on Friday, because my cousin, on leave from the navy, was coming to visit. And not only that, but Stephen and Megan, too. And if that were not enough, Sladana was in town to visit with BJ. They were on their way for dinner, as well. Oh! What fun times!

First in the kitchen, some heart-filled, informative conversation ("how have you been?" "it's been so long!").

Then, the party expanded to the dining room, with common ground, exclamation, and triumph ("I just finished that book!" "we're five months pregnant").

With the shining promise of renewed aunthood, we moved to the living room, where the party continued to expand ("is there a smily face on that snow-covered mountain?" "it's a tattoo").

Houses may be a convenient place to keep the things of life; a good place to sleep. But probably the primary purpose of a residence is to laugh with people you love.

Looking to Summer

April and December are my low-volume blogging months. The reasons? An abundance of schoolwork and a lack of sleep. In response to the increased demands on my time, here is a brief list of things/thoughts that made me smile this week, with explanations.

Cherry blossoms: they cover the far edge of the pond at Millersville. Huge catfish wag their fins just above the surface, flicking away the blossoms to make little, moving chasms.

George MacDonald: whom I read in the summertime.

Breezes through my third-floor bedroom

Tiki time: tiki torches, back yard, "how was your day?"

Fresh asparagus: fresh anything, actually.

Bright purple clothing

A haircut: but I'm waiting til July to go above the chin...

Making my point in a paper: Auteur Theory. It can ruin a Michael Bay film without even trying.

Choosing a new book to read
Choosing an old book to read: these two acts will not happen for another three or four weeks.

Family visiting: Mom, Dan, Michelle, and Chelsea visited last Monday for lunch. We played storybook pictionary at Lindon's diner. Next week, Stephen and Megan will visit! We're headed to Longwood Gardens.

Road trip: I'm ready for one! Anyone with a sunroof is welcome to take me anywhere without notice after May eighth. All unauthorized trips subject to the whim and care of Thomas Campus Deli, the availability of this author, and the weather. See terms and obligations listed elsewhere for details.