Meet me in St. Louis

Now it IS winter here...we had a good snowfall this past weekend, and my beloved Tower Grove Park is looking beautiful in white. However, it is somewhat treacherous, especially with Polly tugging at the end of the leash, not understanding my need to tread carefully on the ice and snow. I almost did take a spill today, and actually dropped her leash in the process. She is so sweet - rather than take advantage of freedom and dash around in the snow, she looked at me apologetically, and came right over so that I could take her leash in hand again. And off we traipsed, in our quiet white wonderland.

After quite a crazy weekend! The folks from Rockford came down/over on Friday (Patte, Linda, Carla from Rockford, Colleen from Kansas City, and Mike from Springfield). We had quite the time...playing Cranium and What's Yours Like?, catching up on what we've all been doing the last 28 years, and reminiscing about our time growing up together. We all stayed here together at the house, cooking, chatting, laughing (a lot and then some more). Mary Sue became one of the gang, as did Diana, and even her good friend, Jesus (aka Doug). There was quite a range of opinions on everything from smoking laws to religion, all expressed freely and all respected and understood. We even ventured out into the snow on Saturday to check out some of the antique shops down on Cherokee St. in yet another one of those charming St. Louis neighborhoods. Quite a satisfying and uplifting weekend!

At the same time...part of me feels so sad. This time in St. Louis has been nourishing in so many ways, culturally, architecturally, for me as a teacher and researcher, and above all as a mom, and even beyond that, for me to come back into touch with my earlier self/life. I did leave the midwest to go live far away 28 years ago. To do that I think I might have had to bury part of myself so it wouldn't be so difficult to do. Now I feel rewoven back into the braid of my life here, with added rich new strands of the people I've come into contact here in St. Louis. I will feel a sense of loss this Thursday. And at the same time...I am so happy to be going home to Madrid. The bottom line...I am so fortunate! I have Tower Grove Park here, and Retiro Park there (without snow...oh, I am looking forward to this!).

Next time I come to St. Louis, though, and my friends come down to visit, "we will dance the "Hoochie-Koochie"" if I have anything to say about it...

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