 Look who's visiting Grandmère! | THE SATISFACTIONS OF ANTICIPATION Ah, the satisfactions of anticipation. I raised my two children with the anticipatory hope they’d grow wings to be independent, self-sufficient and follow their dreams. Each has flown far beyond my best anticipations and their Arkansas beginnings. Inclined to cross oceans, they’re making our family into bicoastal mini-United Nations rooted on the two edges of our beautiful continent. |
Outdoorsman Simon is well settled in the great northwest. From his work in the heart of Seattle’s cyber industry, back-dropped by majestic mountains and surrounded by waters, he and Liko constantly weekend bike and island hop on adventures often accompanied by Liko’s ninety-seven year old father.
Family, three-year-old and career centric, artistic Audrey, at home with Lex and Sophie and their very big Dobie, is bungalow-based in a charming old New Jersey village just over the George Washington Bridge from her weekday, warp-paced world of Manhattan’s financial and foreign banking metropolis.
Anticipating family visits is a joyful yearning for precious shared hours, like the recent forty-eight, when Audrey and Sophie came to Carthage. If living two weeks in two days is possible, we did, as this blissed grandmère filled my delighted heart cherishing a magical wee girl-child.
When the rains came, we stayed home watching and singing to Frozen, piecing together princess puzzles and making sofa cushions into moated forts before heading south to swim at the Y.
While the sun shone we chased the ice cream truck down the street; explored the galleries and rode around artCentral on a trike borrowed from Colbie and Dax; refreshed with ice-ees on Grand; visited Mia, her chickies and the curtained stage in her living room; and slid down the Grace Church slides then chose books from the Little Free Library and read them in the shade on the colorful bird-decorated bench. We Crazy Dazy shopped for Sophie’s birthday presents; lunched one day at Mother Road Coffee, the next at the Deli; and walked the retaining wall as tough a balance beam around the Courthouse before ascending the oh, so high steps to see the gold decorated ceilings and ride the caged elevator up and down.
Family, three-year-old and career centric, artistic Audrey, at home with Lex and Sophie and their very big Dobie, is bungalow-based in a charming old New Jersey village just over the George Washington Bridge from her weekday, warp-paced world of Manhattan’s financial and foreign banking metropolis.
Anticipating family visits is a joyful yearning for precious shared hours, like the recent forty-eight, when Audrey and Sophie came to Carthage. If living two weeks in two days is possible, we did, as this blissed grandmère filled my delighted heart cherishing a magical wee girl-child.
When the rains came, we stayed home watching and singing to Frozen, piecing together princess puzzles and making sofa cushions into moated forts before heading south to swim at the Y.
While the sun shone we chased the ice cream truck down the street; explored the galleries and rode around artCentral on a trike borrowed from Colbie and Dax; refreshed with ice-ees on Grand; visited Mia, her chickies and the curtained stage in her living room; and slid down the Grace Church slides then chose books from the Little Free Library and read them in the shade on the colorful bird-decorated bench. We Crazy Dazy shopped for Sophie’s birthday presents; lunched one day at Mother Road Coffee, the next at the Deli; and walked the retaining wall as tough a balance beam around the Courthouse before ascending the oh, so high steps to see the gold decorated ceilings and ride the caged elevator up and down.
| When the time came for Audrey and Sophie to load and leave, I had only a few moments to sense the empty silence of the cottage, as our eagerly anticipated “Remembering History” Art Walk began to unfold. Set up at the Palms, artCentral (established 1985) was kid friendly with the help of Lonnie Heckmaster handing out artCamp literature and treats prepared at Hometown Bank by volunteers Becky, Ann and Roberta, who filled gift bags with Dubble Bubble (accidentally discovered in 1928) and bubbles to blow. |  |
artCentral anticipation brings such sweet satisfaction. Next up: Membership Exhibit and Picnic, June 10th!
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