Monday, August 12, 2002

Post Party Reflection

It's time to pull out a dictionary. What words describe the hours and days after a party? When after months of planning, preparing, imagining, it's suddenly over. Guests, even the ones who stayed in town, are back home. The table clothes are in the dryer. The last cake is picked at, and the flowers are dropping their browning faces. How to describe the great space in my head that was full of coordinating, and anticipating, but is free now to dream up new plans and return to daily living?

My mom was puzzled; 'Why didn't I take more pictures?' I suggested that, when we think ahead we have many hours in the day to list all that we hope to accomplish. I had lots of ideas about what we could say and do at the party. But when the actual event is happening the hours aren't so limitless. Jola reminds me, "Life is what happens when we are busy making other plans." Mom didn't take as many pictures as she imagined she would. I didn't frame pictures for walls in the hall, or make a platter of fruit to serve. Grandmother wanted to hear jokes, and we never told one.

I'll go open my calendar. I need to shift gears and drive in to the rest of my life. Ruth and Corm are coming from Hawaii. Geoff needs to smog his Nissan. Sunshine, the cocky so and so, has got to go. The pool is incomplete, and so is the landscaping; we need to finish everything in the backyard. It's time to prepare lesson plans for the new school year. Oh, and piano lessons; Geoff keeps reminding me. I had better find a piano tuner. Alex wants to play soccer. Max needs to learn how to swim. Clean the truck, pay the bills, find the check that Hoy sent, finish the Christmas quilt, start a quilt for Bill and Alison, unpack boxes in garage, make dental appointments...

We have an awful lot of wine, and chili left over, and there is still an ice chest full of sodas. Maybe we should have another party. Something simple...

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