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runswithscissors


Sunday, July 16, 2006

In recent days, I've found myself slipping into the altered state I experience during summer in these parts. A sensation of well-being and slightly drowsy tranquility brought on by immersion in beautiful weather, lush, green Vermont countryside, and the relaxed summer soundtrack of birds singing and the occasional sound of a car passing out on the dirt road or on the two-lane down in the valley. Every now and then I realize we're halfway through July, a momentary jolt (understandable, given that the warm season didn't really arrive here until June gave way to July) lasting until I remember there's nothing to be done about it except enjoy the show.

A strange aspect of this time of year: I find myself getting up earlier, at least when I'm on this side of the Atlantic. Far too early (though nowhere near as early as many locals). Logical, I guess -- on a day like today, when the wetblankets in the local weather biz are busy predicting big heat/humidity, the cool and quiet produced by morning fog that often starts the day in this area seems like a good thing to get up and enjoy. My eyes open around 6 or 7, I get up to dump the ballast, see the green, hushed world outside, find myself heading toward the kitchen instead of back to the bedroom once the morning quick weight-loss routine is finished.

And then it burns off, the thousand shades of green grow brighter, blue sky spreads itself out overhead. With the warm season's return, I've reclaimed the two big rooms that get closed down during the cold weather, and have undertaken to use them better, turning one into a big workspace. Which has gotten me gradually clearing the piles of work material out of the dining room, the default work place up to now. Creating a big space to do things like, er, dine. Sit and read, listening to music or to the summertime soundtrack drifting in through open windows. I'm liking it so much that it's got me thinking seriously about taking on the work that would be required to turn the two big rooms into year-round living space -- bulking up the overhead insulation (currently a few inches of cellulose blown in by previous owners, nowhere near effective enough for real life in this part of the world), figuring out some approach for insulation on or below the floor, maybe handing over the shekels to get insulating shades for the windows. Blah blah blah. You get the idea. Not exactly my idea of a great time, though the result would feel just fine.

Having a real kitchen/dining area means that on mornings like this, I find myself making a genuine breakfast, sitting at the dining table with it, reading. Feeling that strange, tranquil sense of well-being, the day outside moving at its own pace. Hours that usually race by drift along, I find myself strangely at peace with this world, my life. Not a bad place to be.

As I write this, I see it's only midday. Time to move on, see what I feel like doing with myself.


Espaņa, te echo de menos.

rws 12:00 PM [+]

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BLATHERINGS

August 2001
September 2001
October 2001
November 2001
December 2001
January 2002
February 2002
March 2002
April 2002
May 2002
June 2002
July 2002
August 2002
September 2002
October 2002
November 2002
December 2002
January 2003
February 2003
March 2003
April 2003
May 2003
June 2003
July 2003
August 2003
September 2003
October 2003
November 2003
December 2003
January 2004
February 2004
March 2004
April 2004
May 2004
June 2004
July 2004
August 2004
September 2004
October 2004
November 2004
December 2004
January 2005
February 2005
March 2005
April 2005
May 2005
June 2005
July 2005
August 2005
September 2005
October 2005
November 2005
December 2005
January 2006
February 2006
March 2006
April 2006
May 2006
June 2006
July 2006
August 2006
September 2006
October 2006
November 2006
December 2006
January 2007
February 2007
March 2007
April 2007
May 2007
June 2007
July 2007
August 2007
September 2007
October 2007
November 2007
December 2007
January 2008
February 2008
March 2008
April 2008
May 2008
June 2008
July 2008
August 2008
September 2008
October 2008
November 2008
December 2008
January 2009
February 2009
March 2009
April 2009
June 2009
July 2009

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MORE FOCUSED BLATHERINGS


Travels:
London '01
Pamplona
Italy '03
U.K. '03
Sevilla
Casablanca
Stoke-on-Trent
Barcelona
Québec/Ottawa
Boston/Lisbon/Madrid
Italy '04
Montréal
La Sierra

Events:
Madrid -- arrival
9/11
Emergency Room I
Holidays 2001
Holidays 2002
Holidays 2003
Holidays 2004
Holidays 2005
A neighbor's passing
Madrid -- March 11 bombings
  and aftermath
Emergency Room II
Israeli friend/Madrid Marathon
Madrid -- Royal Wedding
The DELE exam

GONE, a novel:
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10

THE BASTARD CHILDREN OF
JOE ROCCO, a novella:
-- Part 1
-- Part 2
-- Part 3

BURBANK SHRUGGED,
a screenplay:
-- Part 1
-- Part 2
-- Part 3
-- Part 4

Short stories:
Murphy's Wife
Another Autumn
La Queja de Una
  Hermanastra Muy Conocida

Autobiography
-- Personal History
-- Hormones On Parade
-- Accidents, Random Mishaps,
    Personal Problems

.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .


OTHER SOURCES OF WHOLESOME ENTERTAINMENT

People/Weblogs:
dooce
foxvox
fudge it
fear not
rebekka
bookslut
802online
idle words
madhaiku
wockerjabby
grow-a-brain
rebel market
letting me be
out and about
kung fu grippe
fanatical apathy
baghdad burning
wfuv's music blog
kexp's music blog
mimi smartypants
between the miles
just a hippie gypsy
the impossible cool
tomato can brushes
vermont homestead
sugar mountain farm

Good Clean Fun:
gizmodo
futurismic
postsecret
dave barry
human clock
mcsweeney's
spaceweather
book-a-minute
internet archive
self-portrait day
my cat hates you
out of context quotes
surrealist compliment
  generator
strindberg and helium

Makin' Musical Whoopee:
last fm
stereo8
pandora
soma fm

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ABOUT RWS/CONTACT





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