July 4th Weekend

A couple weeks ago, I had company. An old school mate came with five teenagers. It wasn't for long...four days, I think. It was fun, but it flew by, and there was no time for everything I'd hoped to get in. I had a test at school, I was working. I had a paper due. All in the same week. Ack.

But still, it was fun. When they left, we sent along two laptops. One of the teenagers with her was a refugee. Rebels came looking for his father, and attempted to torture the information out of his mother, in full sight of her children. The young boy cut his mother down when they left, and he kept his family safe as they made it to safety. It is assumed that his father was murdered, since they've had no word of him since that day. Say what you will about refugees. I will tell you that I loved that boy. I'm glad he's here. Furthermore, I'm glad his family is here. We sent my friend back with two laptops, Cara's old one, and older one we'd purchased some time back. Pauline's downloaded educational games for the preschoolers (which the mother is also earnestly working at, despite the fact that she does not have full use of either hand.) The other laptop went to the oldest girl, Elodie, as her own, which is breathtakingly grand.

I received a box today. It had a Kobo e-reader in it. I was completely shocked by such a thing. I'd been playing with their e-readers, and, much to my surprise, I discovered that I would like one, despite the fact that I'd previous spoke passionately about the heft of a book, and the smell of the pages, and the joy of turning pages, etc. Each of her children has one, and I saw them. I coveted, secretly. I mean, it's an extravagance. It's not something I'd have ever done for myself. Yet she did it for me. I'm reading Anna Karenina right now. I love that thing. Really. I still cannot believe that I have one of my own.

Today was the funeral of my friend. She had such a laugh. You've no idea, really. Her laugh was expansive and wonderful and joyous. It was not a rare thing, not while she was alive. And now she is gone. I won't hear that laugh again.

I am still sad, but I am not mad, not any more.

Life is short, you know? Things will be different. I got my hair styled for the first time in a while. I got it colored. I laughed with friends today, and I hugged my dead friend's grandchildren. I've had all of them in Sunday school, at one time or another. All of them. I found myself looking around at the church overflowing, and I realized that those grandchildren have scores of grandmothers. We've watched them grow up before our eyes. That made me feel better.

Well. It's the July 4th weekend. We are spending our first night at the new house. There will be wine. And fireworks. Let me get up from this computer and get living.

Catch you on the flip side.