Duty

Playgrounds and Pools.
Coffee, ice tea and a few donuts here and there.
Lunch with friends and a three-beer nap.
Dinner with friends.
A ridiculous yet funny movie about an office party.

This was my day
after waking up to news about
terror and assassinations.

There's not much else to today,
but this sedated, comfortable sense of satisfaction
and a long night of sleep
that will not end with an alarm
or sense of duty of any kind.

River and Snow

I have not been reading. Like not even a page. I have not been running. Like not even a step. Though I took my book out of my bag and charged my watch. The days are slow and easy and today started at a lake in the snow with the kids running feral in the wilderness. It was a great morning


Stopped for a coffee and I realized I will be missing a free Blind Pilot show by a night and Built To Spill by two nights. WTF?!?! Poor planning.


Bend is great. It is a nature lover's, coffee, beer paradise. It feels like some weird Stepford Wife town where everyone is chill, bearded, wearing a trucker’s hat, and sporting a kayak or canoe on their Subaru Forester. The houses are pretty and the river is chill. Every restaurant has vegan options and a flight of beers. It is surrounded by mountains and a forest.


But before we checked property prices and the average teacher’s salary, I had to remind myself that there would be no paid yearly trips to Daraja, or Tall Ship sailing or weekend get aways to Thailand.


Being home feels good and weird and strange and comfortable, but also very foreign. Being an expat means that we feel like foreigners everywhere. I just can’t feel like home here. Having said that, this is a great place to pass away the days. Tomorrow, we are tubing on the river and hopefully meeting up with Jenn to check out another brewery.


I have other thoughts and things to say about Baghdad and terrorism and #AltonSterling, but my brain is tired and I am lazy. I am enjoying the various degrees of privilege that I have. So on that note, good night.

Fourth Poem

Woke up- around 8am.
My wrists (yes both of them) hurt like they do everyday.
I ignored them and “prayed” they would get better. I will need some serious attention when we get home. Till then it is summer. More ignoring.
Showered.
Headed to coffee.
Tempeh, tofu, lemon kale breakfast sandwich at Next Level Burger (Another vegan burger place in town)
Sun. Sun glasses. Cool breeze.
Grocery shopping. Whole Earth. Book shopping.
Home for lunch and first beer. 1pm.
Second beer.
Walked to town.
Bikes. Flags. Drunk folk. Snow cones. Lawns.
Deschutes Brewery. Flight of beers. Pretzel. Tofu sandwich with kimchi. Peanut butter pie.
More walking. Laying in the grass. Walking along the river. Late after noon buzz.
A magician.
Home. Skype with Mary Jo and Patrick.
More beer.
One more.
Some TV. The kids are hooked on Disney channel shows- Girl Versus World and Liv and Madi.
Hot hub. History lesson on America. Stars. Relaxed.
More beer.
More TV.
Some fireworks from the front yard. Skye says, “Thanks. Goodnight and happy birthday America.”
Chips and salsa.
Another beer.
Orange Is The New Black.
Sleep.

Lots and Lots and Lots

It is 12:31am. Another post-midnight post. Gillian Welch is the background music-The Revelator album. The guitar is crisp, her voice raw and sweet, my mind clear and inspired but slightly foggy after a few beers celebrating Mike's birthday with good friends at The Little Island Brewing Company out at Chiangi.


I didn’t notice the planes overhead untill eleven. I was engrossed in good conversation with friends. Talking to David about how Vodka is just as good as Whiskey when it comes to complexity and tasting. Chatting to Mike and Claire about schools and learning. Our futures felt weird, knowing that Mike is leaving- seeing our team break apart and change is odd. Listened to Jeffrey and Tammy talking about their transition to moving back home. Chatted with Shawn about his hopes for next year and Lee told me he has already bought tickets for Weezer.


It was a pleasant night, with good music, a cool breeze and tasty brew. We were all tired after the Family Festival- an all school PA fundraising carnival at school.


Now here I am, nearly one am and ready for a deep and well-earned sleep. Sinead O’Conner is singing The Healing Room which is taking back to our small hut in Mozambique. I was telling the story of our time in Peace Crops to a co-worker the other night and she seemed enraptured with the story. I can’t wait to start writing snippets of that story in this space, but tonight is not the night.


“……we love you lots and lots and lots….”


“…I have a universe inside me. Where I can go, and a spirit guides me. There I can ask oh any question. I get the answers if I listen.“


Thank you everyone who I interact with o a daily basis for making my life so rich.