we're back in the good old midwest. hubby left this morning to return home and to work tomorrow. we miss him, but we're enjoying ourselves. we've been swimming in z's opa's pool, eating our favorite mexican food, tooling around town on the scooter.
today we came to my mom's farm out in the middle of nowhere. it's the same old country farmhouse in which her husband was raised, as well as his father and his brothers. it's a tiny old house and i have no idea how they raised five boys here with only two small bedrooms and a tiny bath. the house has been in his family forever and my stepfather has done some amazing work on it. he's a skilled carpenter and specializes in custom cabinetry. he made their cherry wood mission style bedroom set from the king-sized frame down to the nightstands and everything in between, my mother's built-in sewing center, and all of the new kitchen cabinets, and also the crib in which z slept as a baby. in fact, the wood he uses all comes from the woods on their property which he mills in his antique sawmill run by an old tractor engine.
i spent the afternoon picking all of the ripe tomatoes in their large, organic garden, which we prepared for dinner (tomato sandwiches and caprese salad). zade helped, by picking the largest, reddest one she could find and eating it like an apple. tomatoes being our shared favorite food, zade and i both enjoyed ourselves thoroughly. tonight i cut the strips for the market basket my mom is going to teach me to make tomorrow. we'll probably also do a little antiquing at the local shops. midwestern antiquing is the best - everything is so cheap compared to the 'antiques' in the city.
i'm hoping to do a photojournal entry of the town where i was raised and my mom's farm. for now we're just enjoying the surprisingly cool august and listening to the cicadas chirp. i'm hoping we will have a nice big thunderstorm before we leave. it's been years since i've been back in the summer and i'm enjoying myself, despite the odd looks we attract when we're in public (what with my now-pink hair and zade's crazy curls).
oh, and my father's girlfriend has been refreshingly sweet. coming out of the disturbing last seventeen years with my stepmother who never was too fond of me and all too quick to jump on my faults and weirdness, this is the first time i can say i've ever felt comfortable in my father's home. she's just lovely to zade and her cousins (she experienced nine pregnancies and miscarriages and wanted to adopt, but had a husband that did not). she actually said to me one day that if we need help when the new baby arrives that she'd fly out for as long as necessary, or fly out and take zade back to the midwest for a while, or fly out and do whatever we wanted. i think she's seriously jonesing for some baby love. i almost don't know how to react after having to feel so guarded for so long. i feel kind of relieved.
we're here for another week. i'll try to post some photos soon, as it's lovely here in the summer. i'm only sad that z missed the lightening bugs.
I'm happy you're having such a good time--It sounds absolutely wonderful!
Posted by: Julie | 22 August 2006 at 04:31 AM
Girl, I wanna see the pink hair! :)
I'm glad you're relaxed and having a good time. I hope you and Z continue to have a blast!
Posted by: Auntie B | 22 August 2006 at 04:55 AM
Your trip sounds like a wonderful way to end the summer. Reading along, I wish I was there!
Posted by: Kohana | 22 August 2006 at 06:19 AM
We miss you and you're almost making me miss the Midwest. Almost. I was back in Illinois last summer (tiny po dunk town) for my 20th hs reunion. I couldn't help but smile at the sameness of it all and then get back on the plane and fly home.
Posted by: Liz | 22 August 2006 at 01:08 PM
you did the pink! ;)
Posted by: barb | 23 August 2006 at 01:02 AM
Glad you are having a good visit. You sound really relaxed and comfortable -- you never know how these family visits will go until you get there. Happy you are having a good on.
Posted by: witchtrivets | 23 August 2006 at 05:38 AM
Your mother's farm sounds wonderful! I'm so glad that you and Z are there, relaxing, having a good time with family.
How amazing that your father's girlfriend is refreshingly sweet and that you finally feel comfortable in his home. That's great!
I can't wait to see some pictures of your stay!
Posted by: Overwhelmed! | 24 August 2006 at 10:49 AM
I really miss the sound of the cicadas. Hadn't thought of that in a while. Great post.
Posted by: Tiffanni | 26 August 2006 at 10:47 PM
glad you're having a good time. but... um... more importantly, when do we get to see a little bit of your pink hair?
Posted by: katherine | 28 August 2006 at 09:23 AM