Snapshots from Memorial Day Week-end

And now it's back to work, for those of us lucky enough to have jobs that gave us the day off yesterday.  Before I say a final farewell to the week-end, let me record some highlights.

--We created a beautiful outdoor space on the front porch, with a teak table and 2 barstool chairs.  We put pots of plants--2 pots of mixed flowers, 2 pots of mixed herbs--in the arches and moved the windchimes to different hooks.  We got a citronella candle.  Yesterday, I stood on the sidewalk as the day darkened to night, and my husband sat at the table talking to his dad on the phone.  I thought, if I walked by this space, I'd want to linger for a glass of wine or a cup of coffee and a dessert.

--With our small house, it's good to have some living spaces outside.  Yesterday afternoon it turned quite hot, with blindingly bright sunshine and no shade in the back yard.  I spent most of the day outside and was feeling a bit woozy from the heat.  It was good to relax on the front porch as the sun set--good to have a shady alternative to the back yard spaces we've created.

--Yesterday morning, a group of friends was going to the beach.  Our house is on the way, so they stopped to pick us up.  Yes, it was madness of a sort, going to the beach on Memorial Day at 10:00--not a parking space to be had.  We came back to our house and had a great several hours poolside and in the pool.  Happily, our floaty toys from my nephew's visit are still around, so the 10 year old had a great time, even though we couldn't build sandcastles.

--We were with the same group of friends plus other friends on Saturday, when we all went to a wedding.  It was great to see the couple get married--they'd already been through a lot, including a near fatal car accident, in the years leading up to the marriage.  No one can doubt their vow to stay together through better or worse.

--And we were with a different set of friends from school on Sunday.  We had good food, good wine, and good conversation.

--I finally wrote a poem yesterday.  The last time I did this was May 8.  Sigh.   I resolve to write a poem at least once a week this summer.

--I took my notebook on the front porch in the morning and wrote that poem.  It was wonderful.  I like that space better than my study.

--I also worked on a Pentecost project:  wind chimes!  More on this project in coming weeks.  We have a service that combines traditional elements with arts projects; I'm leading the Pentecost sessions.  On Pentecost, we'll be creating wind chimes.

--I paid bills and put away the stuff that wants to migrate to empty, flat surfaces.  I reorganized a file box.  I put all the tax documents into a file in that box.  I strategized with my sister about a summer sailing trip.

--How lovely to have a week-end where I can get together with friends, celebrate love, eat good food, be creative, and also get some chores done.  I am always happily surprised at what a difference  a 3rd day of a week-end can make.