October 19, 2009

Today, as I do once a month, I got ready to sample the water in Four Mile Run. After collecting my equipment I coaxed my 14 year old Corgi, Dazzle, out to the car. She was reluctant to leave her warm corner. Her hips are stiff and weak and don't always hold her upright. We had to build a ramp from the back door step as she wouldn't stop hopping down, and crashing into the the ground and smashing her chin. I scooped her up and deposited her in the floor well behind the driver's seat. She used to settle in there, tucking her tail around her, so it wouldn't get caught in the door, resting her chin on the bump in the bump in the floor. I thought she was so smart. Now she barely knows who she is. She used to be delighted with a car ride knowing that we only put her in the car to go somewhere good, with water, and trails and lots of good smells. When the car slowed to a stop she would hop on the back seat, circle around, then hop back down ,over and over again, no matter how hard I tried to train her to wait. I never succeeded in training her, time did that. Now she whimpers softly and I can tell she is unhappy but I'm not sure why. I suspect she wants to "go", even though we already took care of that. I wonder will she wait or has she declined so far that she will soil her space in the car.
As I drive down to the stream, I wonder is this the last trip? As little as 6 months ago she still went on long distance road trips. She loved to sleep in the big van, as we cruised on down the highway. At the rest stop it was clear that she enjoyed the novelty of place. New smells, new smells! That phase had lasted a year or so as it coincided with my need to make frequent visits to my mother who lived in upstate NY. Now it is clear the time of extended car trips with Dazzle is over. This short trip is more than enough. I scoop her out and deposit her gently on the ground. She rallies enough to take care of business, explore a few feet and then makes it clear she is done. She wants back in the car where she feels safe.

October 4, 2009

It was time to tidy up the garden. I cut back the Iris leaves, trimmed the cinquefoil and excavated the weeds. Found my two basil plants. I had used a few leaves here and there with tomatoes, in a pasta dish but had never made pesto sauce. I decided it was time to make a batch before the frost killed the plants. I had been gardening all day so I was tired, not looking forward to standing in the kitchen plucking basil leaves. I grabbed a colander, found a chair on the deck and sitting in the sun with the colander between my knees I started plucking basil leaves. With a surplus of plants it wasn't necessary to get every last leaf I could just choose the best, freshest unblemished leaves. As I sat and plucked it reminded me of being a kid, sitting on the stone back door step, colander between my knees shelling peas. Eating as many as I put in the colander. What a simple pleasure that was. My favorite chore. It strikes me that the childish pleasure of shelling peas has transformed into the yuppie ritual of stripping basil.

October 2, 2009

My daughter obtained a baccalaureate with a major in English and a minor in Studio Art this year. Needless to say she is unemployed. She is fortunate in that she graduated debt free, and in that she lives in Arlington, Va. This location gives her access to one of the best job markets in the country (even in this recession) and to a huge number of free cultural events.

In spite of these advantages she is unhappy. She is lonely; missing the casual socializing of college life. She spends her days, going to the gym, devouring novels, and volunteering at 2 different arts organizations. Her nights she spends watching movies and agonizing over her long distance boy friend's text messages and phone calls or lack thereof.

We have different ideas about how to job hunt. I scoured the classified section of the NY Times and "interviewed for information". My job hunting manual was What Color is Your Parachute? by Richard Bolles. I was repeatedly told, and believed, that "looking for a job is a full time job." She scours Craig's List and Monster.com. Considers Richard Bolles to be old and hopelessly antiquated. And since she does her job hunting online I have no idea how much time she thinks it is necessary to invest.

Meanwhile my second child is starting his college career. He is avoiding all math courses. No foreign languages. Science? Well nothing with a lab that's for sure. I can feel another English major about to emerge. And I am wondering when did a 4 year college degree change from a preparation for life to an extended vacation from life?