The Little Black Volvo Returns to the University
Davis Celebrates His First Solo Drive to SchoolBefore cell phones, (
There was life before cell phones???) when I wore a watch, I always had the watch set for 5 minutes faster than the actual time. I suppose it was my vain attempt to not measure time, but control it. I could always be 5 minutes late...yet still on time.
All of creation is set up to measure time - the sun and moon, the tides, women's bodies, seasons. All of creation responds to the prompts. Birds fly north and south. Animals give birth in season. Very soon my jousting hummingbirds will no longer squeak at my veranda's end.
All measures of time.
This morning my newly crowned 16 year old backed out of Hillcrest Cottage's driveway in the manual transmission Jeep he 'stole' from Dad. He was so proud to be finally emancipated...cleared to drive solo. He had done what no other Kinley brother had been willing to do - learn how to manage a manual transmission in our very hilly town.
Yesterday, on his Labor day 'holiday', Davis had spent 3 hours at football practice, mowed and weed-eated our entire property, then, had meticulously washed the Jeep. All this work doesn't even include the half day he had earlier spent vacuuming, spot cleaning the carpet, and discovering at least 4 ant colonies thriving beneath the Jeep's carpet.
Let's just say Dad hadn't paid much attention to the asthetics of his Jeep. "It's a Jeep" had been his standard mantra for 10 years.
Soon a new top will be arriving. Davis has 'plans' to lift the Jeep, put on huge wheels, a light kit, new speakers, and the list goes on. (
No...to most of that...btw, but don't tell him I said that.). He has even more plans to take the car mudding and has already permanently moved the radio station from NPR to the local country station.
"Mom, we live in Arkansas. We have to be rednecks," he now informs me with a wide grin on his face.
This morning I listened to the Jeep's familiar rattle as it drove down Lee Avenue away from Hillcrest Cottage and...
I cried.
It was only yesterday when the little black Volvo had returned to the University. All this change is overwhelming. Suddenly, I find myself looking in the mirror.
Hmmmmm. It's you...again. It's been about 20 years since I have paid you any attention.
All the whirlwind of activity is winding down like my great grandmother's mantle clock...which could never keep proper time but kept on being passed down to someone anyway.
I'm left looking at myself...me...the soon to
not be 'the mom' me. These boys of mine are phasing me out. I'm an intuitive 'bird', and I'm reading the seasons. The time has come for me to ask and to answer...
who am
I?
Do you ever wonder who you are ...beyond all the labels that life gives you?
This postcard is a design I call "Football Mom". It is one of many items I will be selling at my upcoming Hillcrest Cottage Open House Art & Gift Show. Sadly, all three of my teams (Davis' LRCA Warriors, Arkansas Razorbacks, And Army) lost this weekend. It wasn't a happy football weekend.
This past week the hummingbirds packed their bags for Mexico and left my feeder half-full. Hummingbirds are like that...they just leave one day with no fair warning or good-byes. I will miss them greatly. Maybe that's what my hummingbird was trying to tell me recently when I found him buzzing around Jeff's study...inside my house.
And, finally, Thursday, the new Jeep top arrived. Been praying for this top for 3 years . No more having to wear a raincoat while driving in the rain! No more towels stuffed in the corners! No more wet seats! It was an exercise in perseverance waiting for this top...but it's here at last!
