overhearing

reaching in the way of breath
souls out as though flying

starting as newness does

language bends us to light
tethered to our affections
pointed as our engines 

it's crowded in the big sky,

friends--we have: planes, 

birds, satellites, choices

when it's so hard to listen 

what shall we do, indeed

for our use... for our ease

Pic: Late summer garden

snapshot

Nu didn't want their picture this year, so instead here's a snapshot of a busy day via a few minutes of family chat. 

At took his puppy sibs for shots and a groom, gave them their meds, cleaned Huckie's ears, picked up his human sibling from school, and as it turns out--was the one who reheated the pasta (I'd made at midnight) for our dinner today.

We joke about his post-college life at home being his adulthood "residency," but I can't imagine how we'd have pulled today off without him. 

Nu had a busy day and spent much of the evening finishing up school tasks and rewriting their notes--I love how hard they are trying to start off right this year.  

My day was packed, but I had a whole hour for lunch despite every morning meeting running overtime. I debated taking a power nap, or a walk, or doing some yoga on my Mirror app, or seeing if friends on campus wanted to meet... but I ended up doing email and doomscrolling. I'll do better tomorrow.

taking off

We're not even to classes yet (next week!) and already things seem really intense. Meetings all day, student emergencies, a million emails, seeing lots of people I like a lot... I packed a lot into today.

Also Nu's first day of high school. We did a terrific job of getting there nice and early, but I forgot to take a pic. Tomorrow's the first *full* day of school, so we've decided that we can fix our mistake then. 

Everything should come with a safety/retake feature.

Pic from last week: Fam ascending into the Carnegie Art Museum in Pitt.

everyone is celebrated

 

It's the 23rd and Big A's Boss Day. 

As a bonus, we're also celebrating Scout and Huck's Boss Day today (theirs is on the 18th but the rest of us were traveling this month). 

But wait there's more! It's also back to school celebration time for At and Nu (actually just Nu, but it felt weird not to celebrate At too).  

I guess I like celebrating this little family of mine.

<< I made Nu and At little gift bags with some school essentials, fun reading, and a fresh plant to care for.

hot take

Back walking along the Red Cedar with L today... Scout and Huck heard her at the door when she came to pick me up this morning and went bonkers to see her as she'd been taking care of them while we were gone. Lovely walk; lovely talk; lovely L.

Canceled my planned walk with BS (it was too, too hot and I was way too tired after catching up on housekeeping and new student schedule changes). I was going to cancel my walk with EM too, but she canceled first. Ha. I didn't even have to plead for the pandemic pass as we'd established.

Still thinking of At's impromptu detour yesterday to the Battle of Homestead site. Still thinking and still processing... and so moved by the small donor-funded memorials (physical and virtual) and their commitment to solidarity and workers' rights. 

@Fallingwater

I've been fascinated with Fallingwater since I first heard of it when I was barely a teenager and lived many continents away. 

I was so happy to be here in this harmonious space today... It was a sweet counterpoint to the one-upmanship of the Pittsburgh skyline.

Back home today to be reunited with Scout and Huck... YAY!

@ the Andy Warhol Museum

 

Silver Clouds!

#LaterPost

mini-vacation

 

A quick trip to Pittsburgh... 

my anxious face is hilarious.

Here's a better one of the kids at the lookout after we rode the Monongahela Incline.

#LaterPost

contrapuntal

I enjoyed this reminder about rest today.

Then I got a slew of reports, reimbursement forms, RSVPs, surveys, student advising and scheduling, etc. turned in, so I can take some guilt-free time off this weekend.

That's the plan, anyway.

Fall Term (and a mini-vacation) approach. 

american euphoric

 

I got a good picture of S and J with all the grandkids for the family holiday card. I wish I had gotten the childhood portrait of Big A just behind At's shoulder... but Scout's butt wouldn't fit.  

*

Obviously, I titled this post as a riff on Wood's American Gothic, but my capability for normalcy and jokes about American-ness is dimmed by the horrific news from Afghanistan and diminished in the emotionally exhausting aftermath of having just finished Ayad Akhtar's Homeland Elegies.

the present

1. 

Thirteen years of this same name 

with a few million different versions 

to use in love, jokes, threats, loving

2. 

When they decide for a new name

another parent tells me that a name 

is like a present, no one has to like it 

3. 

just because you gave it to them...

They know what's best for them, they

get to decide if they want a new name.

4. 

Then they do decide for a new name--

You know this name's unisex, right?

But--it still fits wrong, they say. So

5. 

when they decided for a new name, I

find I'm delighted to have an excuse 

to look at lists of baby names again

6. 

With their new name, we learned they

can ask teachers to use the new one

but can't officially change it at school--

7. 

that's another year with the same name

...but people ask us how to pronounce it

(because both names are from Sanskrit)

8. 

we're tricksters this first year with the new 

name: just tell them the old name is said

like the name you picked, I say. I'm loved

9. 

more in this first year with their new name 

it's like they spread their prayers like wings

these are small things, but they can fly now

10. 

When they decided on this new name, I...

was really relieved the new name began

kind of same way that their old one did--

11. 

so in this first year with the new name--

I can catch myself before I land wrong. 

Doesn't Elliot Page have a name like that?

12. 

I don't even remember--they're saying--

what it was, they're in the present; I'm 

rewarded with them happy in this year 

13. 

with just a new name