Sage in Bloom - March 23, 2010

I am off on an adventure with Courtney, an adventure deep into the heart of Texas, where hopefully we will see bright starts at night. Assuming that if we do, it will be because it is not raining! After an interminable winter we are catapulting south into rain, at least according to the very fallible weatherman! I am hoping that he will be wrong again! The very first trip I took with Courtney was a trip to Texas to visit my parents. We had an assortment of toys, books and crayons to keep her entertained on the trip. She had her favorites, she loved the mini etch-a-sketch, really loved it when I would read to her. She was not so fond of the fishing game which required more dexterity than she was capable of at that point in her life. She was fearless, I quickly found that if I did not show fear, she would not be afraid. So one very bumpy plane ride home we rode the waves! She loved it, and I kept thinking that I hoped I had not taken this young child off to her demise! This was the trip where she sat on my parents sofa bed in her jammies with pink curlers in her hair, looked at me, clasped her hands and said ”Auntie, We could be sisters.” I thought to myself, “I hope you always think that!” Knowing that all good things come to an end. And they have I have lost my cool now that she is a teenager. It is a killer to one day be welcome at school for lunch and then what seems like only a few days later ( probably a couple of years) be asked not to come to school. I wonder when and how I lost my cool, trying to remember if I felt that way about the adults I love (ed).

But here we are five whole days for togetherness, well, sort of. There is always that dratted cell phone which had anastomosed to her fingers. I have pretty much drawn the line in the sand at meals, but she doesn't HAVE to be present to me all the time, does she?

The Texas I remember is one with parents that are a little younger and healthier. Sometimes warm enough to go swimming one more time and sometimes cool enough to necessitate a sweatsuit the entire time. Fat Daddy’s for barbeque, Angels for mexican and a visit to the Island for seafood, this time I am “watching” my calories.

I remember running through the water o the beach with her, now I am sure she can outrun me!

I am delighted to have this chance to spend time with three of the people I love best in the world and feel expectant at what memories we will create for the future. Maybe we will even see the sage in bloom.