Tag: lists

For D’Arcy: a list

If you are reading my blog regularly or semi-regularly this month (thank you!), you may have noticed that I’ve had a tough week. I know this makes several heavy posts in a row, but I suppose some weeks are like that, and these are the moments that are resonating with me. Thanks for hanging in there with me. I’ve been noticing plenty of sunshine even through this gray; I promise to share it soon. 

For D’Arcy – a list

I remember

  • You walked onto the frozen canal wearing only a thin – but very fashionable – shirt and a light jacket. Your mother muttered to me, “He runs hot. He has always run hot. I worry about him.” I thought it was sweet that she worried about a nearly-grown man. Surely you knew if you were cold?
  • The nurse called from the hospital, “He said to tell you he is fine. He told us that you are pregnant. He’s worried that you’ll be upset.” I was at work. You were not fine. I was upset. I still don’t know why you asked them to call me and not your brother. I was worried, you hot-headed boy.
  • We stood just outside the movie theatre near those stairs, the hot sun shining through the big windows, illuminating us. You said, “It must be so incredible to be growing a life inside you.” I was heavy and hot. “Not so incredible, just exhausting,” I grumbled, but you still had a look of wonder on your face. Or maybe I’ve added that.
  • Andre hung up the phone and momentarily filled the doorway, saying, “My brother is dead.” And then he crumpled. It was March. It was cold.

I can no longer remember

  • The last time I saw you.
  • What you cooked that night we came over for dinner.
  • What happened after that first phone call from the hospital. You stayed with us, right? Surely you stayed with us.
  • If you ever came inside our new house.
  • If you ever touched my pregnant belly.
  • If you ever felt your nephew kick.

It’s been 10 years. Even the most solid things are melting away. Is it a memory or a photograph? A story someone told? A detail I added to comfort myself? I can’t remember anymore.

I can’t remember.

slice-of-life_individual

 

Slice of Life, Day 23, March 2018

Thanks to Two Writing Teachers for this wonderful month of inspiration.

I can’t write today because…

the credit card company called and told me that someone is using my credit card (to buy from UberEats, of all things – clearly they do not have any clue about how to disguise their usage) and now I have to get a new one and I won’t have it for 7 days and even though I don’t think I use my credit card a lot I actually do and this is going to be a problem.

I have to fight with both of my children to get them to learn their math facts. This will take at least an hour for approximately 10 minutes of practice. Each

the batteries in the wireless keyboard are running low and I don’t know if any of the other batteries are charged and it’s too much trouble to go check.

I promised myself I wouldn’t write until I was done grading and I’m not going to be done grading until I die, which is going to make it really hard to write.

the cats are asking to be fed. Again.

and speaking of cat food, we are running out and someone needs to go buy new and you just know that’s going to be me.

I’m driving the swim team carpool.

I’m pretty sure that my writing posture is giving me carpal tunnel so I probably need to take the day off.

I’m not supposed to go on the computer before bedtime and bedtime is definitely near.

I’m on vacation and too many things have happened for me to choose just one to write about.

I told my family about my blog and now I can’t write about them so my source of inspiration is gone.

I’m just too tired.

(I’ve been keeping this list since the beginning of this challenge. Not gonna lie – I was hoping to save it for later in the month, but we’re on vacation and I am exhausted – go figure. So, here it is. And hopefully tomorrow I can process intense family time and great fun in a way that makes sense.)

 

slice-of-life_individualSlice of Life, Day 16, March 2018

Thanks to Two Writing Teachers for this wonderful month of inspiration.