There's a reason why all the long journeys in the bible are said to take 40 days and 40 nights. Oh sure, there's that whole numerological / biblical reason, but the most obvious reason for me today is:
FORTY DAYS IS A FRIKKEN' LONG TIME!!!
FORTY DAYS IS A FRIKKEN' LONG TIME!!!
At least we didn't have to share our home with all the animals of the world -- although a dog to keep my feet warm would have been nice. :-)
It rained and poured for forty day-sies day-sies day-sies
Rained and poured for forty day-sies day-sies day-sies
Must have driven the whole world crazy crazy
Children of the lord...
Forty days gives a lot of time for transformation -- of the self, of the world around the self.
When we left, it was the middle of a heat wave. Today, on the drive home, we're seeing snow -- yes, SNOW. Just when I was looking forward to a Margarita...
When we left, the country had just lost Jack. This weekend, people across the country are taking part in Turning Point, an exciting new movement created by Lead Now, and inspired by Jack's parting letter.
Don and I are still married and still talking (although it came close when he served me watery decaf this morning), which is a miracle in itself after six weeks in each others' faces 24 hours a day! Although my introverted self is looking forward to being able to lock myself in a room all by myself for a few minutes again.
Hmm... what do I miss most on the road? Fresh fruit and the ability to be antisocial. ;-)
Makes it seem even more funny that I'm looking forward to girls' night tomorrow, but then again... they're girls. :-)
For those of you wondering, yes we did wake up at 6:00. Were on the highway by 7:00 -- no coffee shop to be seen until Marathon, though, and that was a Robin's. We have yet to enjoy anything from a Robin's, but we were desperate. Tasted like crap, but it had caffeine. Held us over 'til Wawa, where there's at least a Tim Horton's. Our next stop was just outside the Sault, in Goulais River, so I could pick up the novel I'd left behind the first night of our tour -- just as I was getting to the good stuff! We gassed up in Sault Ste. Marie and I took over the driving for a while as -- you guessed it -- Don slept.
We were making good time, so stopped in Blind River at Pier Seventeen (where we'd stopped on our way home from Red Rock in August) for a late lunch. Cream of mushroom soup (comfort food to stave off the snow) and a halibut burger for me. Sirloin burger with fries for Don. A nice break, then Don went back into the driver's seat.
The snow has turned to drizzle now. Mother Nature has wrapped herself in all those colours your human mother said only belonged together in the wash -- reds, oranges, pinks, purples. The trees are almost iridescent in their rainbowy state. Every time we get a glimpse of Superior, the waves are crashing up against the rocks, reminding us that Mother Mare isn't one to be messed with. I'm enjoying all these strong feminine images -- maybe it's because I'm gearing up for girls' night with some of the strongest women I know; maybe it's because in my exhausted state, I need a reminder of what lies beneath and will be at my disposal once I'm taking care of myself again.
Why does taking care of details always come ahead of taking care of myself? No wonder I'm exhausted...
I'm reminded of the first song I wrote for Lilly, just after she was born -- or maybe she wrote it for me?
Ground yourself upon the earth
Take inspiration from the skies
Circle has brought you here, circle within you lies.
Fire, Earth, Air and Sea
Fire, Earth, Air and Sea
Fire, Earth, Air and Sea
Just Breathe
We left early so we wouldn't get home too late -- didn't want to hit a moose in the night our our last day of the tour, and we want to get home in time to at least see the last set of the FridayFolk season opener. I look at the clock, 5:30pm, they should be setting up now. I'm fretting about all the things I usually fret about at 5:30, even though there's nothing I can do about it from the Sudbury region! There's a team in place, all is well. I want to see Andrew play, but I'm kind of toying with the idea of not going -- don't want the new team to think I don't trust them to do it without me (I'm thrilled they're doing it without me!); and I don't trust myself to not try and help once I get there.
If you saw the bags under my vacant-stare eyes, you would know I'm in no shape to help out in any capacity. But try and convince Little Miss Helper-Bee when push comes to shove... Maybe I should go in with an "I'm not really here" sign on my shirt? :-) They're going to be on their own for the most part next month, as well, so they're going to have to get used to it -- Don will be freshly out of hospital and stuck in bed.
Ah yes, with the closeness to home comes all the stuff that could be put on hold while we were away, avoided, ignored... I know there are at least 140 "to-do's" I hit "snooze until October 1" on... guess what day tomorrow is? No wonder I'm looking forward to girls' night. :-)
Looking forward to the treadmill (yes, really!) and losing this lump of flab that keeps blocking the computer. Looking forward to cooking food that doesn't have 4 times my daily sodium requirement or 3 times the fat limit. Drinking water out of my big JB glass. Getting clothes out of a closet instead of a suitcase. WEARING A DIFFERENT PAIR OF PANTS.
Seeing the pussycats and waking up totally uncomfortable because I didn't want to move Cookie. Having Bomber start yelling at me an hour before breakfast.
Hey, seeing the completed roof!
Getting the students back into shape, getting my classical self back into shape, getting my inbox back in shape, getting the front yard back in shape (that's as far as I go -- the back'll just have to wait).
Oy. We're home. The tour is over, everything else is about to begin.
But first -- girls' night.
Musically and manically,
Alyssa
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