Mid June. I’m sure I’m not the only person who is having the strange experience of time crawling and flying at the same time. It’s groundhog day around here, every day, and yet time is whipping by. March feels like five years ago. I wonder if time will feel “normal” again and then I start wondering if there is such a thing as a normal sense of time – it’s all a fabrication, anyway. This is a gerbil run I don’t entirely recommend.
Still reading a lot. Read and LOVED An American Marriage
Grace and Whit have been out of school three weeks already. Our attention has turned firmly to the fall and we’re all desperately hoping they return to school in some in-person way.
These are my favorite masks, and Grace, Mum, and my sister Hilary are all wearing them now. Working on a family composite of us all in our masks… stay tuned. I’m a mask evangelist. Wear. The. Mask. If that’s what it takes to get the kids back to school, aren’t we all happy to do it? Honestly. I don’t totally understand why we are even TALKING about this.
As I’ve discussed, I find that I can’t remember things as well as I used to. Some of this is just middle age, and I hope it’s mostly that. I joke around that my hard drive is full. And I realized this past weekend one thing it’s full with. Indigo Girls lyrics. I was listening to old Indigo Girls as I drove an realized I know every single word. To every single song. For hours. That is taking up hard drive space that I’d like to repurpose for other, more important things! (no offense to the Indigo Girls, who I truly think are poets, but I’d also like to remember, for example, what I did this morning).
This is week two of my peony share from Five Fork Farms. The gorgeous blooms that I pick up every week provide me far more joy than I can express. I’ve shared some photos on Instagram. I just love peonies, and love supporting a local farm, too. The photo at the top of this post is today’s batch.
Matt and I are watching Ozark. I’m really not sure. It is SO DARK.
I’m stepping into the class correspondent role for my grad school class (with a partner). This makes it a hat trick – I’ve now been correspondent for my high school, my college, and my grad school. World’s biggest sucker? You tell me. I love my grad school section so I am happy to do it.
What is happening where you are, right now?
Lindsay- first of all I would like to tell you how much I enjoy your posts. We are about twenty years apart in age- I am soon to be 65 – I still find much we have in common, some in retrospect I suppose and some simply as human beings experiencing life. Second of all- Ozark!! Oh my yes – so so dark, but mesmerizing. I kind of want to stop watching but I am completely sucked in. I also just finished reading Ann Patchetts new book, The Dutch House. I loved it. I am ready to read more of her writings. Thank you for the book recommendations. And yes, every day the same…feeling more surreal and mundane at the same time. Missing normal interactions with two precious little granddaughters and other family and friends. Missing so much but also grateful for our health, for a loving and supportive husband and for the little things that bring joy- such as your peonies! Be safe and keep on keeping on!!
You mention that you are a mask evangelist.
I subscribe to the Daily Stoic. In the June 15th post, Ryan Holiday, the author, mentions a discussion with Steven Pressfield, and he explains why the Spartans punished with death the soldier who dropped his shield but not his other protective gear.
“Because helmet and breastplate are worn to protect the individual alone, but the shield is borne to protect the whole line.”
As I understand it, wearing the mask is a test of character. The mask is not for us. It helps protect the whole line. It is for the grandmother of the peron you never met. It’s for the chemo patient. etc.
Thank you so, so much – it means a lot to me to know you are reading and can relate to my words. I really liked The Dutch House! My other favorite of her books are Truth & Beauty and State of Wonder. xoxo
Yes. Yes. YES.
Just wanted to say it’s a weird time to be an American living overseas. Of course I’m aware of everything happening “over there,” but it’s so different than my day-to-day life. There is zero debate in Austria about masks: you wear them, it’s a requirement in the public sphere, end of story. As a result, are numbers are low enough such that I’m writing this on a train to take a holiday in the other part of the country from where I live. Strange times indeed.
Over here in Europe, everything is opening up again, even schools, restaurants etc. Number of cases are not up, so we’re keeping our fingers crossed and enjoy the start of summer, but with my mask always nearby. Can I say that I actually enjoy sewing masks by hand? It is rather soothing and it gives me something to do with my anxiety.