It was a bright morning in Ukraine, the kind
where the sun begins rising over the orchards
by 4:00am and the birds flutter from blossoming
rosebush to rosebush, scattering petals on
the dewy grass.
A plane took off in the distant, passengers
sleepy and stewardesses serving hot grindy
coffee.
But I wasn't in that plane.
For the first time this whole year, I woke up
in my very own bed in the room I shared
with my brother.
Like a bank of mist rolling back from a meadow
into the edges of a forest, memories of this
year chased each other across my mind. Madrid.
Chicago. Pekin. The long drive to Oklahoma City,
The months in Oklahoma.Back to Pekin. Peoria.
Finland. Kiev. And finally...the year half-
spent, I was safely tucked in my very own
bed...
It was nostalgically blissful. =)
The judge's parrot was sitting on my window sill,
loudly cawing, and squawking, and occasionally
whistling. I smiled. He was my personal
fascination... I would love a parrot someday
in my own courtyard. It was definitely one
of those simple things that I missed so
much over the months and many mornings waking
up without his whimsical greeting.
I looked around the room. Messy... a dusty candle
on the bureau... trophies and weight-lifting
magazines and my desk, now overtaken with
my brother's affects. If I closed my eyes
again, I could see the room as I'd known it
in December - with glittery butterflies and
photos on the wall in my corner, my corner
with my desk displaying my collection of Tattered
Teddy bears and my book in work, the candle
filling the room with their smell of spice.
Ahh... time is odd.
Unlike last May, when I moved in for 9 months..
this time I would only be sleeping here for
4 weeks.
But I was home, and in this place, I had
grown up and knew that I would always be
safe, be loved, and find a long hug.
Breakfast was coffee and cream, a plate of
fresh strawberries, a piece of hot toast
smothered under honeycomb (no butter), ah -
yes - dried octopus. =D =D Long rubbery strands,
heavily salted, huge energy boost.
Ready for the day, tussle my little old man
puppy Zubi for a few minute. He's gotten
greyer! They grey beard and whiskers creeping
up his muzzle and around his eyes. But
those beautiful eyes still sparkled at me,
tail wagging, patiently waiting for his
breakfast and a little cuddling. Miniature
dachshunds age so sweetly...
Out the door and into town with my mom to
visit building supply stores across the
city. Then looking at interior design. It was
priceless - standing in the marble lobbies
of European design exhibitions, talking
pattern, texture, color. FUN! Getting quotes,
taking notes, making jokes... good memories =)
So many dreams in our heads, talking them
thru, envisioning the day they would be
reality.
Off to a light lunch at the Itaiano restaurante
Mafia. Mushroom ravioli. Mokhito, a local
drink, club soda and lime juice stuffed
with a profusion of fresh mint leaves and
lemon wedges. Mmmm. =) Perfectly hit the
spot! I do apologize, but... I really don't
miss cafeteria food ONE BIT!!!! =P
Tired now, but a long day still ahead. Head
to the church site, where the sun is thinking
about sinking towards the apartment blocks
across the street. Sawdust floats like snow
through the air, softly settling on every
exposed surface.
I remember the skeletal building as I left
it in the black skies and ice of December, the
trusses of the roof dominating the workdays.
Now, doors and windows are in, walls are up,
and it is a sealed, clean structure. Interior
walls are the project of the season.
There's not too much I can do with my limited
construction skills (i.e. hitting a nail
straight-on with a hammer demands tongue-
biting concentration). But I can fetch nails,
sweep piles of wood shavings into trashbags,
and hold up the walls. It feels so good to
be helping out. After all, this is my church,
my home... and I missed being here, being
a part.
Go home, and say hi to my turtles Lex Luthor
and Lester, splashing away in their tank in
my dad's office. Pull off my shoes, head
straight for my bed and curl up, tired enough
to rest my head for just a moment.
Quiet moments later, and my sister is waking
me up for dinner. The smell of homemade
pizza (garlic, fresh basil and tomatoes) makes
my stomach rumble, but I'm too sleepy to
eat. The room is dark and the shadows deep.
Even though it's only 8:30, I pull the
blankets up to my chin, say goodnight
in my head to my friends in the USA just
starting their days, and close my eyes.
It was a good day to be back home. =)
where the sun begins rising over the orchards
by 4:00am and the birds flutter from blossoming
rosebush to rosebush, scattering petals on
the dewy grass.
A plane took off in the distant, passengers
sleepy and stewardesses serving hot grindy
coffee.
But I wasn't in that plane.
For the first time this whole year, I woke up
in my very own bed in the room I shared
with my brother.
Like a bank of mist rolling back from a meadow
into the edges of a forest, memories of this
year chased each other across my mind. Madrid.
Chicago. Pekin. The long drive to Oklahoma City,
The months in Oklahoma.Back to Pekin. Peoria.
Finland. Kiev. And finally...the year half-
spent, I was safely tucked in my very own
bed...
It was nostalgically blissful. =)
The judge's parrot was sitting on my window sill,
loudly cawing, and squawking, and occasionally
whistling. I smiled. He was my personal
fascination... I would love a parrot someday
in my own courtyard. It was definitely one
of those simple things that I missed so
much over the months and many mornings waking
up without his whimsical greeting.
I looked around the room. Messy... a dusty candle
on the bureau... trophies and weight-lifting
magazines and my desk, now overtaken with
my brother's affects. If I closed my eyes
again, I could see the room as I'd known it
in December - with glittery butterflies and
photos on the wall in my corner, my corner
with my desk displaying my collection of Tattered
Teddy bears and my book in work, the candle
filling the room with their smell of spice.
Ahh... time is odd.
Unlike last May, when I moved in for 9 months..
this time I would only be sleeping here for
4 weeks.
But I was home, and in this place, I had
grown up and knew that I would always be
safe, be loved, and find a long hug.
Breakfast was coffee and cream, a plate of
fresh strawberries, a piece of hot toast
smothered under honeycomb (no butter), ah -
yes - dried octopus. =D =D Long rubbery strands,
heavily salted, huge energy boost.
Ready for the day, tussle my little old man
puppy Zubi for a few minute. He's gotten
greyer! They grey beard and whiskers creeping
up his muzzle and around his eyes. But
those beautiful eyes still sparkled at me,
tail wagging, patiently waiting for his
breakfast and a little cuddling. Miniature
dachshunds age so sweetly...
Out the door and into town with my mom to
visit building supply stores across the
city. Then looking at interior design. It was
priceless - standing in the marble lobbies
of European design exhibitions, talking
pattern, texture, color. FUN! Getting quotes,
taking notes, making jokes... good memories =)
So many dreams in our heads, talking them
thru, envisioning the day they would be
reality.
Off to a light lunch at the Itaiano restaurante
Mafia. Mushroom ravioli. Mokhito, a local
drink, club soda and lime juice stuffed
with a profusion of fresh mint leaves and
lemon wedges. Mmmm. =) Perfectly hit the
spot! I do apologize, but... I really don't
miss cafeteria food ONE BIT!!!! =P
Tired now, but a long day still ahead. Head
to the church site, where the sun is thinking
about sinking towards the apartment blocks
across the street. Sawdust floats like snow
through the air, softly settling on every
exposed surface.
I remember the skeletal building as I left
it in the black skies and ice of December, the
trusses of the roof dominating the workdays.
Now, doors and windows are in, walls are up,
and it is a sealed, clean structure. Interior
walls are the project of the season.
There's not too much I can do with my limited
construction skills (i.e. hitting a nail
straight-on with a hammer demands tongue-
biting concentration). But I can fetch nails,
sweep piles of wood shavings into trashbags,
and hold up the walls. It feels so good to
be helping out. After all, this is my church,
my home... and I missed being here, being
a part.
Go home, and say hi to my turtles Lex Luthor
and Lester, splashing away in their tank in
my dad's office. Pull off my shoes, head
straight for my bed and curl up, tired enough
to rest my head for just a moment.
Quiet moments later, and my sister is waking
me up for dinner. The smell of homemade
pizza (garlic, fresh basil and tomatoes) makes
my stomach rumble, but I'm too sleepy to
eat. The room is dark and the shadows deep.
Even though it's only 8:30, I pull the
blankets up to my chin, say goodnight
in my head to my friends in the USA just
starting their days, and close my eyes.
It was a good day to be back home. =)
No comments:
Post a Comment