backtracking

Ah—so much to say, so little time. Should I start now and go backwards? Today is my last second day of school. I love the beginning—of everything. I love the beginning of the school year: walking across the library bridge and seeing acquaintances I might have forgotten, and friends I haven’t seen all summer. The anticipation at the beginning. You think it might be perfect. I’ve always thought Christmas Eve is a little bit more exciting than Christmas. I love receiving the new syllabus in class but not having a lecture. Except for Dr. Morrissey’s class. Milton should be exciting. Talk about reading closely! In a poem with 12,000 lines, try to catch this:

He with Olympias, this with her who bore
Scipio the height of Rome. With tract oblique
At first, as one who sought access, but feared
To interrupt, sidelong he works his way.
As when a ship by skilful steersman wrought
Nigh river’s mouth or foreland, where the wind
Veers oft, as oft so steers, as shifts her sail.

Look at the acrostic he creates. Who's Milton talking about? What a genius! “He’s a great writer because of the extraordinary reading he’s asking us to do.”

Today is the only day I’ll be 22 years and three days old—I need to live it up! ☺ My 22nd birthday was delightful. I love that my birthday is in August. My parties act as a reunion of friends I haven’t seen in sometimes a whole year, or more. Birthdays are the rare days all of the sisters are together, too. So of course, we take a few sister pictures that we might send in our Christmas cards this year. Watch out!

sisters partying down :)!

Last week we had a family reunion with the amazing Droney side of the family. No joke: all of my relatives are the coolest people in the world. I think I’m being objective when I say that! They’re so full of life and laughter and creativity and kindness. My little cousin Irene is now thirteen! She’s so talented and smart and is becoming a Renaissance girl. She and her friends are independently putting on a performance of “Rent”—which is like two hours long? Quite the feat. Go Irene! Isle of Palms was such a relaxing break from working at Yellowstone. The only work I did was on my tan. I practiced guitar and didn’t get much reading done at all. Which is bad, but there are so many lovely people to talk to. Oh—and we ate, a lot. Grandma’s spaghetti—it’s second to none. The Irish party the first night and the talent show the last night were what family reunions are made of.

my cousin and I kissing a lucky leprechaun

Something really funny: I’d always thought that we’d had several family reunions growing up before Anna’s wedding in 2000. I have so many memories from them: making piñatas with Aunt Colleen, beauty night, the Jacuzzi, this fishing pole I got for my birthday, a coconut bunny rabbit birthday cake, an oldies dance night, the “ballerina mouse” club, waves that tumbled you on the way down. Turns out, we only had one family reunion before Anna’s wedding—this was our third one. I told Jessica that and she, also, remembered several! Do you know how disorienting that is? Good thing we’re not writing our family’s history! I still can’t get over it.

Jess and Joel back from the AT for the week!

Oh, by the way, my friend John and I bought goldfish together and MINE DIED! And we painted my room orange--it looks great.