And That's What You Missed

"I want to watch Glee," Heidi said early last spring.

I reluctantly agreed. It seemed unappealing to me to re-watch something that didn't seem that far away.

That was 120 episodes ago. Tonight, we watch the series finale, which originally aired on March 20, 2015. More than anything else, I have been struck by how much has changed since the show started 15 years ago. Politics, social norms, the lives of the cast, and our lives, too, are all in much different places now. Some things have evolved, others have regressed; there have been gains and losses, successes and failures. But I still love Burt Hummel, although I'm only now realizing that Kurt is the heart and soul of the show. 

Overall, Heidi was right. It's been a worthwhile six months, and I will miss it.

Reba's Reflections

As I was sorting through boxes yesterday, I found a mini-memoir written in brief chapters by my grandmother's youngest sister. Aunt Reba was born in 1917 and passed away in 2001, the last living sibling of 14. The typed pages I found were copies of some recollections she had written for her grandchildren, which told stories of her childhood. 

I remember hearing about these tales, and maybe even seeing them once at my mother's house, and I'm sure she gave them to me before she died, part of a thick stack of photos and artifacts. I'd never read them, though until today. 

I was charmed and absorbed in her stories of the huge pecan tree outside the family home (it thrived as soon as they put the outhouse under it), her mother's center table, which was in the parlor and served as the altar for three of her sister's weddings, the first snow she ever saw: it fell three days before Christmas in 1928, and the birth of her youngest brother, when her mother was 48. 

She also tells how the first of her line made their way from South Carolina to Collins, Mississippi, and hints at the dark changes that the depression made in their lives. She mentions tenant farmers, camellia trees, magnolia blossoms, and the big, beautiful oak table that came to her via one of her siblings and a German doctor's estate in Wisconsin.

Last week, as I cleaned out my closet,  I listened to a recording of Anna Quindlen reading her book-length essay, Write for Your Life. In the piece, she advocates for journaling, letter writing, and any other form of personal expression that gives all of us the chance to record our lives. She argues that this type of writing serves both the writer and any future audience, whether known or intended, who may just treasure it.

Aunt Reba's reflections are certainly a testament to that notion.

Of Course It Is

One of my early retirement projects is to go through all the miscellaneous boxes and files we have stowed in various locations around the house. For me, starting in the guest room/home office/exercise studio/etc. space was a no-brainer. Although I "see" them every morning when I do my yoga and meditation, I recently realized that I haven't actually looked at the banker boxes we have stacked on the high shelves in there for years.

Lifting the lid on one of them, I found a recipe archive spanning 1989-2008. It had folders and binders filled with clippings from the NY Times, Fine Cooking, Cooks Illustrated, and Saveur, as well as printed pages from the early days of internet recipe searches, some handwritten gems, and some photocopies from cooking demos I had attended (and taught) over the years. 

While not exactly a treasure chest worth preserving as a whole, the collection did seem to me to merit a look at each page before ultimately relegating 85 percent of them to the recycling bag. Most were dishes I had never cooked, just recipes that seemed promising. Many still looked pretty good, and I was charmed to see some of the signature ingredients from that time featured so prominently: lamb shanks, cod, sun-dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, bacon, and all manner of gratins and souffles.

There were also some original copies of recipes that we have loved over the years, which, of course, I kept. And I also kept almost anything that I had actually made before.  And when I was through with the the task, not only did I still have at least 50 recipes, but I also had a short list of follow-up chores, such as organize and file them and actually cook them or get rid of them.

All of which tells me? This project is bigger than I originally thought.

Maybe Not So Bad

The day dawned clear and cool, with lots of sunshine and blue skies. My to-do list included baking bread and an online ukulele lesson. And when, at midday, I paused sorting through several banker boxes that had been gathering dust for nearly a decade to step out into the glorious weather and take Lucy for a walk? 

I finally got a glimpse of what this retirement stuff might be cracked up for.

Authentication Failed

It finally happened.

When I tapped on my phone's email icon yesterday, September 1, I received an error message and a direction to re-enter my school mail password. Which I did, but without success. It soon became clear that I no longer had access to any of my school accounts.

I let go a heavy sigh, and then?

I let go.

Time to look forward.

Searching for a Silver Lining

"So what was your favorite part of our "baseball experience"?" I asked Heidi this afternoon, air quotes included.

She tilted her head in thought, and I laughed because, in truth, it hadn't been very fun. The weather, overcast and muggy all weekend, had turned hot and muggy as we arrived at the ballpark. Our seats, usually high enough to catch a breeze from the river, were sweltering. The section, often sparsely populated, was packed with Cubs fans sweating right next to us. And, the park itself, which I would have guessed would be pretty empty given the holiday weekend, was full; lots of families were taking advantage of the double promotions of kids eat free and Ruiz catcher jerseys for kids. Oh yes, and the team lost 14-1.

"Mine was the Metro ride there," I told her. "Going to the new Potomac Yard Station and seeing all the above-ground stuff was cool, and I liked paying the fare with our phones. The train was nice and new and not too crowded, too," I added.

She still had nothing.

"My second favorite part was when we stopped at the railing on our way up to our seats to watch Ruiz bat," I continued. "There was a light breeze, the bases were loaded, the Nats were ahead, and it seemed like it could be a great afternoon."

"It did," she agreed, "but it wasn't. I guess my favorite part was when you drove me home from the Metro, and the whole thing was over!"

A Walk in the Woods

I recently read about a state forest a little more than 30 minutes from here that, not only had I never visited? But I had never heard of it, either. After 35 years of living and hiking back in the area where I was born, I was pretty sure I knew most of the trails within an hour or so, but clearly, such is not the case. So when Heidi suggested taking Lucy somewhere for a walk in the woods, naturally, Conway Robinson State Forest came to mind.

According to the website, the property became a state forest in 1938, deeded by the Conway Robinson Memorial Park Association in memory of the late Conway Robinson. There was considerable reluctance in accepting the property, due to the belief that no one would ever use it. 

At the time of the gift, Lee Highway (Route 29) was a single-track dirt road that was difficult to traverse, particularly in wet weather. Now, the area is one of the highest populated areas in Virginia.

When we arrived on an overcast Saturday afternoon of Labor Day Weekend, the parking lot had a scatter of cars but not a person in sight. The cloud cover kept the temperature down, but it was muggy when we set off on the Blue Trail that runs the perimeter of the park. Within a few steps, we were immersed in a forest. In the still air, we heard the clear and sweet call of Eastern pewee, and as I stepped into a pine-scented glade of Loblollys, Mary Oliver's poem, "When I Am Among the Trees," came to mind.

When I am among the trees
especially the willows and the honey locust,
equally the beech, the oaks and the pines,
they give off such hints of gladness.
I would almost say that they save me, and daily.

"This was a great idea," I said to Heidi. "Thank you."