Sunday, June 22, 2008

Reconnecting

We're in a busy stage of life, Great Scott and myself. The girls are old enough to have begun after school and summer activities; Great Scott works long hours; I've begun subbing when school is in, and last month I began ABCTE's teacher certification program to obtain a certificate to teach English in Missouri secondary schools. While this route to certification is going to save us a lot of money and a lot of time, while it allows me to do work online and here at home (save for the tests and the student teaching experiences, which will come later), the work still needs to be done, and I'm doing it while keeping up with the girls' activities and my grandmother's medical appointments. Summer has given us a bit of a slow-down, yes, but Great Scott is still taking a graduate class four days a week in a city an hour away, working on two degree papers and finishing up the yearbook for the 2007-08 school year where he teaches. It's easy for each of us to forget what the other looks like.

This weekend my mother took the girls to Steal Yer Dollar City (a.k.a. Silver Dollar City) all day Saturday, leaving Great Scott with a sizable gift certificate for Borders bookstore. The temptation was too great. Off we went, tra-la-la, here-we-go-round-the-mulberry-bush.

It had been a long time since I've spent time alone with my husband being silly, and silly we were. We made smart remarks, played at being cynics, played at curmudgeonry, played at obliviousness and simpletonry, played at making the other laugh--lots of this. We browsed the bookstore, laughed in the parking lot, got frozen custard at a place we used to frequent when we were dating and first married, laughed on the way home, and we laughed after we got home. We picked on each other mercilessly the entire time, and we loved every minute of it.

Sometimes it's very difficult to remember a time when my mind and identity weren't entirely tied up with responsibilities, schedules, censored motherhood and things-to-remember-so-that-no-one-starves-and-the-electricity
-stays-on. This weekend I remembered.

Today we spent the day at Great Scott's father's farm, where we celebrated both their birthdays and a belated Father's Day. Sometime after lunch I slipped outside to look at the lilies and hollyhocks in the yard and joined The Younger Daughter in the hammock. After a bit The Younger Daughter went off to learn to shoot a gun--she turned out to be amazingly good at it--and I was left alone under the light-dappled leaves, a cool breeze stirring the hem of my gypsy skirt about my ankles as I lay back and closed my eyes. I drifted off amid the wind and whispering grasses, and no one came to call me back. It was utterly restful (rest full).

This next week will be a busy one again. The "Little House" play practices are upping the times from one practice a week to two, both five hours long; my grandmother has a doctor's appointment, we're taking the girls to see Cats! one night, and I have another section of my English/Language Arts course to complete. I've tucked away this weekend, though; I'm keeping it deep within, ready to bring out and enjoy in stolen moments. It was very, very good.

10 comments:

Beth Impson said...

Reading this made me happy!

Anonymous said...

Through the magic of google alerts, I saw your post and it made my day. I wish you well on your studies and hope that very soon you will be inspiring the next generation of book enthusiasts.

Dave Saba, President, ABCTE

Anonymous said...

You know... anonymous people often remind you of cinematic personalities. Be that as it may, I think you're much like Leslie in Bridge to Terabithia. Either that or 3 margaritas, 1 wine and one beer has seriously unhindged my faculties..... also, why the hell does blogspot not include a spell check?????? It would seem to be appropriate. Hick!

Anonymous said...

By the way.... Lunesta sucks....Forgive the humor, but I'm not having a good lifetime. Not that you care, but an ozark's boy lost in the big world can have problems. Especially with spelling!

P.S. also puncuation, but to quote ee cummings, who the hell needs it anyway

Lucindyl said...

Beth--I'm so glad!

Mr. Saba--Thank you for your encouragement. What you are doing is very much appreciated.

Anonymous--I read. I blinked. I read again. I uttered a loud, "HA!" I have never been compared to Leslie, despite having fallen off of a rope while swinging over a drop-off full of large rocks (and still retaining the scars of that bloody episode 23 years later).

Blogspot does include a spellcheck, although I quit using it when it tried to convince me to substitute the word "clitoris" for the word "childhood." May you have better luck with it.

Anonymous said...

Wonderful glimpse Cindy. I am envious of the nap in a hammock.

Lucindyl said...

Randy--It was astounding in a shatteringly peaceful way. I wish you could/can see this part of Missouri some day. I'm not talking Springfield, either, although it's nice, too. If I could send you some hammock time, I would.

Anon--You're from the Ozarks? Just now caught that. Where 'bouts? And where are you now? And why the dickens did you ever leave?!

Anonymous said...

Did you ever read the Very Secret Diaries on the link I posted?

As far as leaving, Bilbo had it wrong. Usually, you go THERE, and you never quite figure out THE BACK AGAIN. I guess that is why the Hobbit is a fairytale.

Lucindyl said...

Anon--The VSD's remind me a lot of National Lampoon's Bored of the Rings. Clever. Not something I'd recommend for the kids, but clever.

Paul said...

I'm glad you're busy but more glad that you found time for yourself and Great Scott. Wishing you a similar weekend soon.