Monday, August 8, 2011

Traveling

Miss Holiday Golightly, Traveling

That's what Holly Golightly's calling card reads in Truman Capote's Breakfast at Tiffany's...

Always on holiday, always traveling, always lightly.

In fact, her apartment is full of unpacked luggage and boxes.

To Miss Golightly, traveling was a state of existence. It didn't mean she was physically traveling...though she did that too...

In the past few weeks, I've felt that way. I've been in a traveling state of mind.

Not physical traveling so much as mental and emotional traveling. Out of my normal routine. Away from what's familiar.

And not that soul-searching, solitary type of emotional traveling either...


More like the kind of emotional traveling when a group of folks are all thrown together into a situation and they have to figure out how to navigate time, space and each other.


For the past couple of weeks, I was helping my brother take care of his four girls while their mother traveled to Italy. Well...and...I also asked my other brother's three girls to come too. Plus Jack, that makes eight...and me. And my brother too when he wasn't working, thank God.

Gone from the daily "do" that we all create for ourselves.

And into the world of childhood adventure...eating candy before dinner, catching sand crabs, riding the bus and thinking it was fun, playing in the ocean, getting too much sand in the bottom of my bathing suit, losing at putt putt golf, and all the while...managing sand, sunscreen, feedings and safety...yes, they all lived.

I can now better appreciate what it must be like for working parents with multiple children...somewhere in all that hustle and bustle...and laughter...and childhood mishaps...you just don't have time for yourself.

It was good for me to travel to that place again. To remember what it was like to feel those amazing joys when a kid dives through her first wave and screams "awesome", orders rainbow sprinkles on her donut, putts a hole-in-one, flies her first kite...And those moments of concern when one niece fractures her foot (yes, it happened) and another breaks a wire on her new braces...And then, when you think there's time to breathe, there isn't. Because it's time for another meal, chop up the fruit, pour the milk...these kids need to be healthy...run to the store to get another loaf of bread..."Can we get ice cream again?"..."Aunt Susan, I don't have any clean clothes left?" "Do I have to eat this?" "I lost my sunglasses in the ocean...*sniff" "Who got sand in the chips bag?" etc etc...

But the big kids can ride to the grocery store, and one cousin helped by giving the littlest a bath, and the older girls can do laundry...so it all works out.

I wish I could have taken pictures...but it's hard to carry a camera bag when you need an extra hand to carry a water bottle, the lunches, someone's forgotten flip flops or when little legs get tired and they need a piggy back.

I admit it. Raising Jack is very different compared to all those girls...let's just say there's a lot less drama...


He's definitely the quiet one in the midst of all those clucking hens. By the end of last week, our group thinned out. Jack wanted to fly his kite and I remembered to take my camera to the beach.

And they have free lessons from 6pm-9pm down at the boardwalk...


We bought Jack a new stunt kite for his birthday and he gave his old kite to his Uncle and cousins...


And finally, I was able to capture some of the joy of the week...


And the goofiness...


And the fun of flying kites.




And the teamwork required...




And it makes me sad that I missed capturing all the other moments of the prior two weeks...all because it was too hectic. And I vowed that next time, I wouldn't let that happen.

And I'd be fibbing if I said I didn't think about needlework.

In fact, the final task of the boardwalk scavenger hunt was to find my favorite store between 8th and 9th streets. It was Salty Yarns, a beautiful beachside needlework store, which I'll tell you about next week...

And we did start salvaging weathered fabric from broken and discarded beach chairs for a future project...


But I'll tell you more about that later too.

Good Monday everyone. It's nice to be home.

But it's not for long. We're taking friends from Japan to Washington, D.C. on Wednesday and Jim's mom is coming on Thursday to go on our family vacation to the beach. This time Jim gets to come too.

I hope to get around soon and see what you've been up to...

16 comments:

Teresa said...

It sounds like your cup was over flowing with goodness.
Teresa's Heartfelt Stitches

allie aller said...

Lovely to have you back, albeit briefly. I have to say, Jack is looking more and more like his dad all the time. Very great!

Sheila said...

"Let's go fly a kite
Up to the highest height!
Let's go fly a kite and send it soaring

Up through the atmosphere
Up where the air is clear
Oh, let's go fly a kite!"

Sorry! Couldn't resist Mary Poppins with pictures like that! :) Looks like an awful lot of fun. And yes, the pictures *are* great, and a gift for everyone else. And sometimes living the moment is more magical for yourself when you are participating in the thick of it and aren't behind the camera observing. And sometimes, it is what it is. Sometimes, you're just too darn busy.

Happy sewing recharge before the rest of your next adventures start up again. :)

Hope your summer is going great!

verobirdie said...

Wow, that must have been both exiting and exhausting. I love when you meet your family, there are always pictures of kds with sparkles in their eyes.

Carol- Beads and Birds said...

What fun for you. I knew you were busy. Glad it was Good Busy. You that you got a dose of living with girls. Makes you appreciate boys all that much more. Aren't they easier!?!

Glad it was a great time...and ITALLLLY!!! Lucky woman.

I admit, I never saw a stunt kite fly.

Nice to hear from you.
xx, Carol

Front Range Stitcher said...

No matter what's going on, it's always pleasant to visit here. Thanks for taking the time to check in, seems as though you cannot get rid of us! Wishing you more happy days ahead!

Createology said...

What a wonderful post of how important family is and how we must make time to enjoy every minute of our time together. Thank you for this. Safe travels and happy memories all around...

Catherine said...

Another beautiful post! You always manage to pluck at a heartstring or two and remind us of what is important. I'm very lucky to have found your blog and more importantly - you. Can't wait to see more of your adventures!

Momma Bear said...

sounds like they had you out numbered and surrounded! but in a good way.
you always have such fun with your family, it's so wonderful the girls all work together so willingly and well with no bickering, whining or backchat!

what's the secret?

Miriam said...

What a wonderful time you had with all the children. A great post!

Have fun on your family holiday.

Anonymous said...

It's busy, but so, so rewarding. :o)

Rachel said...

Good heavens, you've been busy. Still, from what you say your nieces are lovely girls, and Jack's a real trouper to have kept up and helped out...!

Nancy said...

Looks like you had a grand time! Nothing like time spent with young people to make you feel young and old at the same time! LOL Kite flying looked lots loads of fun!

Vicky aka Stichr said...

and now you can see why i don't often touch a needle when we have the girls here for a week! i am very glad you had this chance to see them on an every day basis.

Ingrid Mida said...

Sounds like you were living life to the fullest... Although you didn't get all the photos you wanted, those memories will last a lifetime. Thanks for sharing bits of it with us.

MeganH said...

Welcome back! Your holiday sounded like the epitomy of beach family holidays - lovely!

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