Last night, I experienced a remarkable phenomenon in my front yard. It was @maximillian_deersteak who alerted me to it. We were in the garage, preparing to enter the house, when she exclaimed “Look, fireflies!” I turned, and after my eyes adjusted, I saw hundreds of small faint green sparks flashing across from our garage, in the trees and bushes across the road. They were beautiful, and became easier to see after we turned out our lights.
We remained in the garage for a while, just admiring them. They were emitting light on and off, communicating with each other. I wondered what they were saying. Maybe they were courting, or just signaling to one another.
I felt privileged to see these incredible insects in my yard and I hope they will reappear again tonight.
You are a city of wonders A city of contrasts A city of dreams You have the old and the new The classic and the modern The historic and the futuristic You have the mountains and the river The green and the blue The natural and the urban You have the people and the culture The diversity and the unity The community and the individuality You are a city of wonders A city of contrasts A city of dreams
Today I finally got around to organizing my clothes in the closet. We had been living in our new home for a few days, but I hadn’t found the time or energy to do it. I had just dumped all my clothes in the living room from the uhaul and left them there. It was a mess and it bothered me every time I looked at it.
I decided to take action today and get to work on putting stuff where it belongs. I also made sure to fold them neatly and arrange them by color and type in my closet. It felt good to see some order in there.
I have considerably less space in there now. I can’t believe how many tshirts I own, let alone collared shirts and business attire. I am probably due to try some of them on to see if they still fit well, since I haven’t worn a necktie since covid, let alone a suit. Who knows if I will ever wear some of these things again? I am probably due another sort to keep / donate / trash.
Additional upside, I’ve found a few nice shirts that I had forgotten.
Current mood: accomplished Current music: Housework – The B-52’s
Today was a day of transition and transformation. I left behind the familiar and embraced the unknown. I moved into a house with @maximillian_deersteak , and with the help of the inlaws we finally unpacked the uhaul truck that carried our memories and belongings. It was a strenuous and joyful task, a ritual of settling and belonging. I felt a surge of anticipation and gratitude for this new chapter in our lives.
After we deposited our things in the house, I drove the car to the car wash and gave it a thorough clean. It had accumulated layers of dust and grime from the journey, but now it sparkles and gleamed under the sun.
For dinner, we ordered some Chinese food from szechuan. I had fried rice and sesame tofu, and it was tasty.
Now we’re watching Flamin’ Hot on TV. It’s a documentary about the remarkable life of the man who invented Flamin’ Hot Cheetos and how he rose from humble beginnings to wealth and fame. It’s more than a little cornball, but fun to watch with the gang.
I’m filled with happiness and appreciation for today. We accomplished much and I indulged myself, and that feels great.
Went to the farmer’s market on Grandin this morning and got all sorts of yummy stuff, including “free stone” and regular cling peaches from @monkeysfreshfruitandveggies , a load of tasty baked goods (including some superb nanner puddin’ muffins) from @breadrunroanoke , pressed juice that had carrot, lime and turmeric from @fielddayjuiceclub, and a delightful whale mug from @ishadevinepottery !
Highly recommended all around.
Inlaws are arriving with the uhaul in a couple of hours, so I had better charge my batteries now for unloading.
I packed the last of the clothes in the duffel bag. The ones I had worn for years and that had seen me through many seasons. They were faded and worn, but they were mine. I folded them carefully, as if they were precious relics. I did not know if I would ever wear them again.
I moved on to the fragile items. The ceramic cookie monster that my mother had given me. The framed photos of my family and friends. The ceramic tree-bowl from my “brother-in-law’. I wrapped them in newspaper and bubble wrap, trying to protect them from the inevitable bumps and jolts of the journey. I placed them in a cardboard box and taped it shut. I labeled it with a marker: FRAGILE. HANDLE WITH CARE.
I looked around the room. It was empty and silent, except for the echo of my footsteps. I felt a pang of nostalgia and sadness, that was then overshadowed with enthusiasm for the future. This had been my home for so long. I had made so many memories here. But now it was time to leave. To start a new life in a new place with my family.
I picked up the duffel bag and the box and headed for the door. I did not look back. I did not say goodbye. I just walked out into the bright sun and the dusty road. I did not know what awaited me ahead, but I knew it was finally time to go.
It matters to me so much, I made the engagement ring for my wife to represent lime vanilla ice.
Something very significant to me is Lime vanilla ice, a symbol of enduring and pure love.
Lime vanilla ice is a type of ice cream that appears in the book Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury. It represents a connection between two characters, Bill Forrester and Helen Loomis, who share a love for this unusual flavor. It also symbolizes the nostalgia and sweetness of their relationship, which transcends their age difference and the passage of time.
In chapter 28 of the book, Bill and Douglas go to a store to get some ice cream. Bill orders old-fashioned lime-vanilla, and Helen Loomis, a 95-year-old woman, overhears and commends him on his choice. She recognizes Douglas as a Spaulding, and knows Bill as a newspaper reporter. Bill mentions that he knows who she is and that he was in love with her once. They get into a conversation, and she asks him to come by for tea the next day.
The next day, Bill goes to Helen’s house and they talk over tea. She tells him how she was young and foolish and how at age 30 the only man she cared for stopped waiting for her and married someone else. So then she traveled all around the world. He likes her, and says that interesting women like her are rare. She says that is because most men do not want a woman with a brain. Many women get good at hiding their intelligence. She asks him what he wants out of life, and Bill says that he wants to see many places. Helen has been to most of those places and so she tells him all about them. He sees her every day for over two weeks, and they have a very good time together.
Then one day she asks him how he was once in love with her. When he first came to the town he saw a picture of her in the paper the day of the town ball and he did not know that the photo was from 1853 and that the town published it every year before the ball. She tells him that he reminds her of the man who courted her 70 years ago. Near the end of August she gives him a letter and tells him that when he receives it, in a few days, she will be dead. She says that love is in the mind and that they had that together, even if their bodies were years apart. She tells him that he must not live too long (he is 31 years old now) because if he does then one day he will meet a young girl who reminds him of Helen Loomis. If he dies at a moderate age perhaps everything will come into balance and sometime in the future a young man will order an unusual ice cream and a young girl will appreciate his choice and that will be their happy end.
A few days later, Bill gets the letter in the mail, and he takes Douglas back to the store, where he reads the letter and orders lime-vanilla ice.
Lime vanilla ice is a significant motif in this chapter because it shows how Bill and Helen share a common taste and interest that sets them apart from others. It also reflects their personalities: lime is sour and refreshing, while vanilla is sweet and comforting. Together they create a balanced and unique flavor that suits both of them. Lime vanilla ice also represents their memories of happier times, when they were young and in love with someone else. By ordering lime vanilla ice at the end of the chapter, Bill honors Helen’s memory and hopes for their reunion in another life.
