03 July 2006

Double Your Trouble...










One week from today, iced tea in Wilmington will be a hot commodity. That's right, Manhattan's newest and finest is gracing us with a visit and we are beyond excited.

Gosh it feels like I haven't seen my Katie in forever. In reality, it's only been about seven weeks, but I have missed the sprite! She's on a mission to over-saturate herself in southern humidity and sweet iced tea. I'm on a mission to soak up as much fun as I can with her which won't be easy and I may have to stand in line, but I'm willing to do what I have to do for an audience with her Manhattan Majesty. It's what you do when you give life to a legend.

I will, without a doubt, be snapping photos left and right. I can't handle these droughts. I mean, you really do get accustomed to having a smart ass around.

Katie has sorely missed the south's finest drink and I've sorely missed Katie. I hope we both get more than our fill.

I imagine lots of late nights, a fair amount of coffee intermingled with the tea, and laughing at really stupid things and crying over some seriously sad stuff.

I look back on the two photos taken that faraway day in May when I left my little girl in the big apple. What a hard day that was! I didn't cry that much when we had to put Freeway to sleep - but, then again, I have known Katie longer than I knew Freeway. Plus the fact that I gave birth to her and all that stuff. :-)

That's not to say that Freeway wasn't a mighty fine dog. She was just a bit snippy and basically hated Cassie with a passion. To this day, Cassie holds no grudge and you have to respect that.

Of course, one of the reasons for this impromptu visit is because of the recent changes, which I'm sure is the same reason her text messages have been more obscurely bizarre and amusing than usual. I think it's part of that whole "circle the wagons" stuff that families do when difficult times visit. A million times a day lately, I find myself grateful for this crazy family of mine. They're on such a thinly disguised mission to keep me busy and pre-occupied and how can you not love people who go to such extreme measures?

Case in point: It was almost 100 degrees this evening and I was in the attic boxing up things that need to be picked up, so with the heat indices it was probably 110 where I was working. Justin arrived with an order for me to go downstairs. Now. I could tell he wasn't going to accept any excuses. It turns out that he had made some soup and I was going to eat it. Period. End of discussion. I exchanged glances with Stephanie, who was sitting to my right at the table pretending to read Harry Potter, though I really believe she was acting in the role of "under-cover prison matron", because she looked at me as if she was all prepared for any sudden moves or signs of escape. I wasn't really hungry, and they really didn't care. The soup really was great - the love behind it was priceless.

They're both so adorable.

Perhaps we can talk Nina (John's Mom) into joining us for lunch during the week Katie is in residence. We'd love to see her again and give her a proper beach lunch. John has one of the nicest people in the world that he calls Mom, and the extended clan is just as lovely.

Mostly, I would like to find a not so crowded parcel of beach and sit in the sand and chat with my daughter (and my son if he's not working!). It's not so much what we will or will not talk about - it's more about being in the same space and I would love to share some space with Katie. I need that right now and, prescient faerie that she is, I'm sure she intuitively knew it.

Of course, we'll have to do the whole "goodbye thing" again, but I'm thinking this time it won't be as raw as it was in May when I left her. That day was hard for so many reasons and when I left her, it was the singular feeling of "aloneness" that hit me with a searing, soulful pain.

Certainly saying goodbye was a catalyst, but it wasn't the basis for the turmoil that was brewing. That was one of the worst feelings I can remember experiencing in recent history and, truth be told, it was a harbinger and I knew instinctively I was in for a sea change. OK, so it turned out to be a bit of a tsunami, good thing I know how to swim. And thank God for all of those lifesavers at the ready. And no, I'm not referencing the candy.

Can't wait to see you, my dear.

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