Holy Family, Batman

Happy Feast of the Holy Family.

Aren't you glad you have a family?  Because no matter how kinda-crazy they are, they're amazing.  We don't get together often, but it's so good when we do.  Mos Def is, because right now he's telling me about how his Umi said "Shine your light on the world, Shine your light for the world to say." And isn't it great how family members tell us what we need to hear.  Why am I not dancing.  Oh wait, I am. "Sometimes I don't know what to do with myself.  Passion takes over me."  Mmmmosdef. 

Today was a day of being highly attuned.  

At Mass, the flute rendition of the Coventry Carol was especially pretty, and then she seamlessly led into another song, which I tried to make a point of remembering because it was so nice the way they flowed into each other.  Guess who forgot it now.  Don't know the Coventry Carol?  Listen to it:

In the process of caring for the children at Grandma's house, I had extra moments to pause and savor the little details of that place.  I didn't photograph them all.  Impossible.  The crocheted mushroom that makes shakey sounds, the decoupage in the yellow bedroom, the mirror in front of another mirror, the blue velvet design on the wallpaper, the sacred bottle of Chanel No. 5. that was the last one received, the card that says "To My Loving Wife" and inside, "Al."  There is so much in her wonderful life.  I'm so glad so many people know how awesome she is. 

So here are some details in this house full of mischief, details, three generations of kids eating on the steps because there's no room at the tables.  Rooms with windows on the doors.  All the details and pasts stacked on pasts.  I love the honesty and unfanciness of it all:

Pride in the Navy.  

This sink.  

Curtains that could just as easily be found in the window of an 1880s Black Hills saloon, but that seem perfectly wholesome where they are.

And three generations of guys playing football.  When Karlin Hall closed and we lost the parking lot down the street, the street itself had to be the field.  After the city condemned and knocked down the house next door, a new field opened up.  And the extra wide stairs my brothers built made perfect bleachers for the cheering section.  

 I love D. cheezin' in this picture.  He's a good guy. My favorite play was all of the plays that started off "MADISON!!" 

I'm proud of my cousins and the men and fathers they are becoming.  I will always look up to Larry.  

Then we had to leave early (company arrived at our house early!!), but because of that I got to catch an especially nice sunset.  This picture in no way comes close.  The top of the sky was much darker and the bottom by the church steeple was much more orange.  It had some, but not all, of the drama of a Frederic Church painting.  And the beauty of that sky with the crumbled buildings and empty lots and the hopefulness of the church steeple... it was a striking combination of light and texture and meaning.  Made me wish I had my good camera.  And then on the short walk to our car, the sky changed three times and each was striking in its own way.

There's more I want to write about the conversations I had today, but they're not for yelling into your void, internet.  So instead, can we paint the picture of how I'm writing this entry?  

I'm in an ambiently lit room with a good playlist going on the speaker system I hooked up in the corner.  I'm sippin on some Larceny small batch bourbon.  I'm rocking my grey striped satin pajamas.  I'm propped up on a glut of pillows.  My face is scrubbed ruddy and looking just like Helen of Troy.  

Except that I'm drinking out of  a tea cup because I was too lazy to dirty another dish.  And I originally put my pajama shirt on backwards and didn't notice until pretty far past the point where a thinking person should have noticed.  And while my face is shining late-night gorgeous like the sun, inside of it is my bite splint.  So when I say I look super sexy, it sounds more like "I look shhhluuooper slhexchy" And then I probably drool on myself.  I'll drink to that!

Ah!  Kitka just came on the playlist!  This is not them, but this is the song they were singing.  Gosh, I long to be in a choir that sings these songs.  They're in my slavic bones.  Make sure you listen to the last minute.  

And the next song is "Orange Sky" by Alexi Murdoch.  And some nights I wish I could just stay awake and teleport everywhere I want to be.