The latest and greatest

How long since I updated here? Ugh, too long, not good.

Quick bites and bits of me:

I am reminded of why the toddler years drive me crazy.

I am reminded of why I will miss the cuteness and sweetness of the toddler years.

The first-grader is blooming--intellectually, socially, gracefully and verbally. Was it just three years ago she was in speech therapy? Today she correctly used a really big, grown-up word. Gah! I forgot what it was. [smacks forehead]

My fourth-grader presented me today with a decoupage artwork she made in art class from a b/w photo of the two of us that I supplied. We are both wearing bejeweled crowns and she gave me angel's wings, with a poem on the back and a quote from Cicero. Cicero! I spent a whole semester of Latin on Cicero's orations. Oh! she has my heart! I cried.

My husband is better. And every day better. And that makes me better.

I am writing again. For payment. On my own schedule, on my own terms, stuff I like to write. It is good.

It is Fall.

Finally.

I want nothing more than to live in this moment. Stay here. Savor it. Crunch it. And not let it go.

peeling

there are layers there
thin, like
skin on the onion
not the thick ones
but the nearly invisible
membrane
that might or
might not
show when you peel the brown shell off
that cracks and snaps
dry, brittle.

but the thinnest layer
hides

i just realize it's there
as i pry the outer from the
inner
and it pulls away like
the filmy amnion
from the chorion

but my layer
is more elastic and doesn't break
or shred
or shed
but snaps back
resists the fingernail
hides the underneath
because the layers below
are unripe
immature
undeveloped

hiding.