I made it! After a blissful few days in Colorado -- where I got to play stay-at-home aunt to the darling, good-humored, loving, crazy six year old AND have some nourishing personal and professional conversations with the most amazingly talented, good-humored, beautiful sister -- I drove out again in the early morning light. 12 hours sped by, filled with birds of prey lazily observing the highways from their high perches, Utah's otherworldly rocks, and this one overloaded aggravating van who just would not get out of the fast lane.
Then, just when I was almost screaming with boredom of being in the car, I arrived at the National Park gates. I meandered past elk munching their dinners, visitors uncertainly turn-signaling their ways to the best sunset vantage points, the clinic, the school, the grocery store... talking to myself the whole way, reminding myself what looked familiar and where I think I should be turning. The first time I glimpsed the Canyon out my car windows, I shouted in reflex, "I live here now!" But that still hasn't really sunk in.
I pulled into the parking lot ofhis my our (!) apartment, shaky, sore and grateful for the proffered beer. Towards the end of the drive, I had been repeating, "Shower, porch, beer. Shower, porch, beer," as mantra to strengthen my resolve. I got all that AND a hot dinner. Damn!
Today I couldn't sleep past 6am, so I unpacked my everything, the first minute of Part of Your World stuck in my head the whole time. ("Thingamabobs? I got twenty!" Yes, but why do you have twenty, Kirsten? WHY?) Thanks again to my spectacular Tetris brain, I was able to hide all my nonsense in Tiny Apartment. And I organized and sorted and decorated 'til I was tired of all that. Now it's mostly done, pictures will get hung tomorrow (sorry thin-walled neighbors!) and I get to get out and explore.
I'm going to all the Ranger programs I can this next week. Reading all the guidebooks that are so conveniently already in this apartment. Finally visiting the archeological museum. Getting ready to memorize the facts and the feelings of this place, to share with visitors from all over the world. Whirlwind. Hit the ground running.
Then, just when I was almost screaming with boredom of being in the car, I arrived at the National Park gates. I meandered past elk munching their dinners, visitors uncertainly turn-signaling their ways to the best sunset vantage points, the clinic, the school, the grocery store... talking to myself the whole way, reminding myself what looked familiar and where I think I should be turning. The first time I glimpsed the Canyon out my car windows, I shouted in reflex, "I live here now!" But that still hasn't really sunk in.
I pulled into the parking lot of
Today I couldn't sleep past 6am, so I unpacked my everything, the first minute of Part of Your World stuck in my head the whole time. ("Thingamabobs? I got twenty!" Yes, but why do you have twenty, Kirsten? WHY?) Thanks again to my spectacular Tetris brain, I was able to hide all my nonsense in Tiny Apartment. And I organized and sorted and decorated 'til I was tired of all that. Now it's mostly done, pictures will get hung tomorrow (sorry thin-walled neighbors!) and I get to get out and explore.
I'm going to all the Ranger programs I can this next week. Reading all the guidebooks that are so conveniently already in this apartment. Finally visiting the archeological museum. Getting ready to memorize the facts and the feelings of this place, to share with visitors from all over the world. Whirlwind. Hit the ground running.
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| This is my front yard. At this very moment. FOR REAL. |
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