Saturday, June 21, 2008

5th Day of Summer Vaca

Well, it's the fifth day of summer vacation and I'm not really excited.   I'll try to keep you all updated on my life throughout the summer.

Monday, June 16, 2008

Nana

I would like to dedicate this post to my grandmother, Ruth S. Rodger.
I went to her home today. It's amazing how doing simple chores around the house can bring back happy memories that have since turned painful. Doing the dishes. I made dinner for myself and washed the dishes afterwards. I also washed the dishes that my sister dirtied. As I stood there washing my late grandmother's Martha Stewart Everyday dish, I started to reminisce. I thought about the times that my Nana would make us dinner. She would labor over our dinner and after we were finished, she would take the dishes into the kitchen and wash them ever so carefully.
I looked over to my left and saw the bread box. I remember when she first bought that bread box. She opened it and showed me that one puts bread in there and it would keep for longer periods of time than if it was just on the counter. I looked farther left still and noticed the absence of my grandmother's table. It is now at my home a mere three blocks away, however at the moment it seems as though the distance from Nana's kitchen and that table might as well be a million miles. One of my favorite memories of my grandmother and myself is when we were waiting for my mom to pick me up one night. I begged my grandmother to play war with me. We had so much fun playing cards on her table that night. I just didn't want it to end. Unfortunately, as with all good things, there must be an end.
I only have a few dishes to go, but I take my time as I try to wash each dish with the care that my grandmother did when she did the dishes. She very well may have been my closest living relative. She was funny and sweet, and I like to think that I have inherited my good qualities from her. As I turn back towards the sink, I notice that there is a plant next to the bread box. It's drooping, but it appears to be alive.
After I finish with the dishes in the sink, I go to the adjacent living room where I spent many an afternoon watching television and eating Pepperidge Farm cookies. I sit on the green and blue couch as my mother drives up the driveway in her mini-van. It reminds me of all of the times that she picked me up after a visit to Nana's. I never wanted to leave, but I always did.
My mother gets out of the car, and notices the weeds in bags on the front stoop. She comes into the house, and immediately inquires where I weeded.
"Out back", I say without looking up to meet her gaze.
I clearly have more important things on my mind. Of course she cannot notice, and continues to barrage me with seemingly meaningless and obvious questions.
"What's with the fan?" She asks
"I was using it to cool off," I reply still without meeting her gaze. My mom leaves the room and begins her inspection of the house. She finds many minor impurites in the cleanliness of the house, and makes sure that I take care of them. I notice that though she found many faults, she didn't notice the starving plant next to the bread box. Once my mother is done with her inspection and certain areas are cleaned up to her satisfaction, she heads into her mother's TV room. My mother turns on the television, and after a few minutes of standing in the kitchen rehashing fond memories of my grandmother, I ask my mom if she's ready to go. She immediately turns off the television and heads into the living room and sits down at the chair next to the front door. I am still standing in the kitchen when she says, "Well, aren't you coming?"
I respond with a promise that I'll be there in a minute. I look at the plant and I think of how my grandmother must have taken meticulous care of it. I imagine how my grandmother watered it everyday and made sure that it had enough sun. Though she passed on last October, the plant seems to have survived. I decide to water the plant. I quickly get some water in a juice glass and pour it into the plant's pot. I pour a second glass in the pot and make a note to come back soon and continue watering it.
My mother and I close up the house, and lock the door. She stands outside while I pick up the two bags of weeds that I pulled from my Nana's backyard earlier that day. I put the weeds behind the driver's seat of her van and close the door. We get in the van. Before we pull out of the driveway I make sure to remind my mother that we have to come back soon to water the plant. Her only reply is "Hm" which suggests that watering a plant in her mother's house is at the bottom of her to-do list.
After we arrive at home, I notice that despite it being dark out, my mother taking great care to water every one of her plants. I continue to sit in the car until long after she has gone inside. I sit and ponder why my mother doesn't even notice Nana's plant, yet takes such good care of her own. The world is funny like that.

Thursday, June 12, 2008

Last Day of School

Today was the last day of school and I am really excited for sumer vacation! I don't know what I'm going to do yet, but whatever it is, I'd like it to include some time for relaxation. I'll keep you all updated on whatever it is that I decide to do this summer. I don't plan to waste it. If any of you guys have any ideas on what I should do this summer, leave a comment. I love to hear from you!