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Thursday, November 18, 2010

Traveling 2400 Miles in Five Days

We started here,
With stout cups of coffee and a sack of clementines.

Behind the Redwoods
fog
wind turbines
flight

South through the redwoods, their shaggy trunks leaning in close to hear Raising Sand (Alison Krauss played by yours truly and Robert Plant sung by BC) pouring through our windows.
South through the farm lands, blanketed in cashmere and guarded by the red-tailed hawks, stopping only to demonstrate absurd yoga poses at random small town gas stations.
South through the rolling hills marked by wind turbines and soaked with the valley heat, peeling off layers and giving in to spontaneous car-dance parties.
Then North, north higher than the flight patterns of migrating cranes, noses in books, two cranberry juices hold the peanuts please.
To these feet.
Which belong to some of my very favorite people on God's golden-crimson-chartreuse-ean earth.

Strolling through the Fallen
The Magic Friend Maker
Leaves
lichen
In Redness

And here it is: I DO miss Seattle, but more over I miss my Mme.  Life feels a little fuller now that I've walked the layout of her home, now that I know where to find the microplaner in the kitchen, now that I've stolen her face wash while showering (heehee), now that we've purchased yet another set of matching accessories (thigh-high leg warmers make the world go 'round).
I basked in her Candaceness (totally a word) so much that believe it or not, these are the ONLY photos I took the whole weekend.  I had to just be.  Really BE.  Present.  To take those images and engrave them on my secret heart, take the moments of utter communion and moments of hysterical laughter and clutch them tightly so they last longer.  To be a little greedy.  I'm not sorry.  Not in the least.

But the weekend passed and we struck out to the softly frosted mountains of California to pick up this little beastie.

McJowlers
My Sancho
Tromp
Sancho 2

Sancho is HOME!
He's puddin' pie and a little tank already, nine weeks old and eating like a horse.  A ten pound carnivorous horse with floppy jowls, a wiggle worm of a tail, massive paws and a face like rumplestein.

I love him
So big.

And for the record, the kitty boys are handling the situation as well as we could have hoped: Thai is the pure embodiment of Calm-Assertive (a la Cesar Milan - audio books equal 9 hours of hearing the phrase "calm-assertive") with his unflappable presence and air that says "I'm not moving but if you step one foot closer and I will bitch-slap you" while Sing is more of the Wild Card (a la It's Always Sunny) and Sancho has already decided that's far scarier.  Oh this family of mine!

All this to say, I'm so ready to be home.  I'll be heading in tomorrow morning (Friday November 19th) for Chemo Infusion Round 7 of 8 - can you believe it's almost over?  Just one more after this, and while on one hand I feel like I've been in chemo for a lifetime, on the other I remember when it felt like I had an impossible journey ahead of myself.  Thank God for friends along the way, eh? 

And on that note, I think it's time for a puppy potty break.

11 comments:

candacemorris said...

Welcome home Sancho. Cannot wait to meet your slobbery face.

I bet your face is seriously tired of smiling.

Kinda like mine as I find little notes tucked away in my kitchen and jewelry.

It was soo good, so good.

Resume your ridiculous yoga poses.

Desiree said...

These images are SO very lovely! (And that pup -- what a cutie pie!)

Abigail Jasmine said...

Um! Looks like you had a blessed & splendid travel!~
Your pup is too cute..Luv him!

I think the photo of the kale-leafy looking vegetation captures your essence, art & style..I love it!

God Bless, sister! Lots of love & prayers your way...<3

Ps..Still O-ing up a package for you!

calamityjane(t) said...

congratulations-- i'm thrilled for you. what a fabulous week. sancho is utterly adorable and is obviously bringing much joy into your lives already! sending you good thoughts-- at this time tomorrow round 7 will be finished and you can sprint to the finish line!

UmberDove said...

Mme -it was the best. The very best.

Desiree - Thanks missie! He's is SO delightful, you'd want to nibble on him too, I just know it.

Abigail - There was Ooo-ness that I snapped up for you in Seattle...

Jane - Halleluia, you said it sister!

lulu said...

so much goodness!

by the bye, stunning snaps.

Snailentina said...

Although I was looking forward to a lot of pictures from you two, I can totally understand the being in the moment thing and Welcome home Sancho... and here's a toast with my pomegranate green tea for round seven, you've handle this with ultimate and enviable grace little Dove.

Anonymous said...

ahhhhhhhhhh
so good to see you back

love you new little man!

love and light

resolute twig said...

he is amazing. and I can only imagine what those kitty boys make of him :)

Also so glad you got to visit seattle and your mme.

sending love and healing vibes and thoughts and prayers.
xo

Taddyporter said...

What a very very fine man that is(and BC too).....so glad to hear of your soul-restoring holiday with the mme. take care dear one.

AppaloosaMoon said...

YAY...for round "7"...& almost being OVER!
YAY...for Soul Sisters...
YAY...for perfect puppies like Sancho...
&
WOO HOO for yoU...just cuz yoU be the BeST!
xox