Spinning

Photo of Abby studying with Jordie (for her upcoming bat mitzvah)

My head is what's spinning. Spent this weekend working on Abby's bat mitzvah booklet. And the trip to California. And, hopefully, Jordie and I will still have time for a money talk and a future housing talk tonight (he promised me to talk about housing, and I promised him to talk about money.)

I completely blew my checking account getting tickets for our whole family to see Bill Clinton speak at an Indianapolis synagogue in June (plus, I got a couple of extra tickets as a gift for some very dear friends -- one of whom is having her 80th birthday this month). It was just one of those decisions that had to be made. And it's worth it. But meanwhile, I am so broke!

And, I feel very strongly that I want to move into town within the next three to four years. At the max. I am sick of driving, driving, driving....and thinking it's too much trouble to do something because of driving. Or, not being worth coming home in between things because of driving.

WALKING is what I need to do. And living near the Y.

And we really need to talk. For instance, Jordie says that he very, very much wants to have a garden and work in it. Well, living in a treed lot, you can't. But can Jordie bring himself to give up the forest?

I think if we lived in town, we could work it out to have one car. And that would be great. And I could walk to work.

And, we could design a house (or pick house plans) to suit some of our goals: better kitchen flow (we both love to have people over) for parties. Better energy efficiency. Better floors (wood and tile, not carpet). Better laundry (by the bedrooms, not the garage).

I want to live in that new addition, Renwick. I want to walk to the movies. I want to walk to work. I want to stroll to the little parks.

Well, I can dream.

However, the good parts of this weekend....Jordie made brunch BOTH days, and that was great. He did it Saturday because Abby's friends were over and he had promised pancakes a la mode. (Then, when the girls were practicing the song they plan to sing at Abby's bat mitzvah, it was so beaufiful I got teary-eyed). And then, while I was sitting in my pajamas, listening to them, Adam called and said he would be home soon with his girlfriend, Julia, to drop off his stuff before he drove with her to Louisville. Jordie jumped in the shower right away, and I got dressed. We helped unload Adam's stuff, and then Jordie made more pancakes and eggs for them. And meeting Julia for the first time -- it was great! She is beautiful. Easy to talk to. She has her own style of dressing, and it is charming. I loved her hat. And, although I had to think before every sentence "Will this embarrass Adam?" it was fine. Adam didn't even mind that I showed Julia some of our Europe pictures. And later, when I said to him "DId we totally humiliate you, honey?" he replied "It wasn't nearly as bad as it could have been." And that's all a mom can ask for!

Also, Jordie went out and got a beautiful big geranium for my mom. She drove down. We had a nice time hanging out. Adam even gracioiusly showed Mom a photo of him and Julia from the Internet somewhere. Jordie made brunch again, and it was just an easy and fun day.

It only got grouchy when we started working on the CA trip. Too many options. Too many decisiions. And too much pressure to get it done.

The sun is beautiful. I'm going to sit out on the front porch and breathe slowly before I get back to the tasks at hand.