smurf away somewhere

sitting on the bathroom floor while selkie has a bath. today my dad brought out the immense collection of smurfs that my brother jarrod played with when he was a kid, and the grandchildren are smitten.

i am slightly horrified, but not going to dwell on it too much.

here in franklin for a couple more days. had to buy a new carry-on suitcase today to bring back all the stuff that we have accumulated over the past two months. watched my daughter decide on her first pair of low-top converse. sparkly black, with sparkly blue shoelaces. spent way too much time playing our family card game with my mom and brother.

its called lashination, just for those who are interested.

today is also my anniversary. my husband is currently in nebraska with another man. i am comfortable with this. he deserves time with his best friend. hasn't been away from us in a long time and he deserves a break.

me too, come to think of it.

while my brother teased me incessantly today and my mother drove me crazy for various infractions and my son told me he was given a coke despite THE THEME OF THE SUMMER BEING YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO DRINK COKE, DAMNIT i really really really really wanted to run away for a little while. go somewhere quiet and peaceful, preferably with trees and coolish summer air.

there is the saying that you always need a vacation from the vacation. but when you are gone for as long as i am, when you are actually living somewhere else for two months, it can't really be called that.

total number of times packed and unpacked in various places in new england: 14. i've lost three pairs of socks. and gained way too much stuff, including giant pieces of birch bark which are slowly making their way across the country with the aforementioned husband/best friend road trip.

taking what i can back with me. taking what i need, what i don't, and the longing for what i wish i could bring.