Just Checking Back In

Traveling to Santa Rosa could certainly be counted a success as both our trips to and from Santa Rosa went as smoothly as can be expected of any trip that involves spending thirteen to fourteen straight hours riding in a vehicle. The trip down was sunny and bright, while the trip back was generally wet and gray. Surprisingly, and thankfully, the brightest part in the car was Kel, who was happily entertained by four doting adults, DVD’s played on dad’s computer and an occasional movie on the TV. The highlight of my trip was tickling poor Kel when I became uncomfortably bored with staring out the window at cloud-covered mountaintops. Luckily, he suffered the tickling with shouts of genuine, or faked, glee.

Mary’s eightieth birthday party also went well, and I got to meet a number of relatives I’ve only heard about over the last seven years. I guess it’s lucky I couldn’t find a new Canon Rebel digital camera to buy before the trip, though, because somehow I failed to take a single picture, despite the fact that I had bothered to pack my Nikon, the battery charger, and the Memorex card reader for the trip.

Despite the fact that the weather was great for the trip down, I found myself forced to walk in rain that I would generally avoid walking in even here in Tacoma. That came as a bit of a shock, as I can’t remember ever encountering anything but sunshine when I’ve visited Santa Rosa in the last seven years. It shouldn’t have shocked me, though, as I lived in Walnut Creek for four years, and remember quite vividly the heavy winter rains, which almost seemed a relief after the scorching summers.

It’s a rather gray, bland day here in Tacoma, a rather accurate reflection of my mood since returning from Santa Rosa late last night, and falling tiredly into bed to succumb to the soundest sleep I’ve had in the last five days. I’m not sure I’ve fully awakened even now, though the clock reads mid-afternoon. I suspect it will take at least a couple of days to fit back into the ruts I’ve made here in Tacoma.

Meanwhile, though, I have started reading Wendell Berry’s Collected Poems: 1957-1982 and should have something ready by tomorrow.

5 thoughts on “Just Checking Back In”

  1. Now, see, if you’d given me a date earlier when you were going to “publish” this, I would have also written an essay on Emily as I’ve been wanting to get back to her Complete Works that I bought in college but never had time to finish.

  2. Okay, I’ll pull out my Emily Dickson after I finish Wendell Berry and have it ready by next Wednesday.

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