Benihana

Our dinner cooked in front of us accompanied by all sorts of tricks!

Lizzie and me

So many moments like this during my visit here - crippling laughter!! Snorts have been known to happen too!

A birthday photo!

What a fun night we've had. A birthday treat for me - thanks, Orr Family...

The Junk Yard Wonders

Here's a book that is... that is.... .... honestly, I'm finding it hard to find the words.
I sat in the Orr's kitchen today and read it. It was the middle of feeding time in the kitchen...BLT's were being made and consumed with gusto, mac n'cheese was on the go, spare bacon was being polished off by Lizzie...people were coming and going...and yet the moment I opened this book and began to read, I was transported into another world.
It's a book about being different. A bunch of kids whom everyone else looked at and saw junk...but a teacher looked at and saw a whole world of possibilities.
More than that, she persuaded them to see it too.

It's a really good book. I don't want to give any more away...suffice to say - I totally recommend it!!

Barnes and Noble...

Walking into Barnes and Noble today and breathing in that distinctly book-filled first breath was a neat moment! It's my first visit in years and yet that particularly B&N smell took me back to every other visit within a split second, bringing each of them to mind effortlessly.
A pile of books...a coffee...a comfy seat...and a good friend...it's a winning combination every time.

There was a female staff member greeting people as we walked in. She said, 'Hi, how are you?'
I was so fully living the memories and breathing in the aroma of books that I positively beamed at her and said, 'I am absolutely wonderful, thank you!!' (I grimaced inwardly as my cheese-o-meter ricocheted off the scale!)
She looked somewhat startled - hit as she was with the full force of both smile and exuberant response...
I recovered quickly and mumbled something about restrooms.
Following her pointing finger, I moved quickly forward, away from one of the more embarrassing moments of life!
Having said all that...I had SUCH a nice time in Barnes and Noble today!

The Help

A few of us went to see The Help tonight at the movies. What a story!
I was utterly convinced by the acting, sung to by the courage of so many of the women, spoken to by the harshness of the living existence and whispered to by the ache portrayed, the long ache of endurance. The many moments of laughter underlined the poignancy of the moments and the tenacious bravery of the women. On so many levels, a great movie!

I really recommend it!

Click here to watch the trailer

Dick and Sibyl's Leaving Party...and The Orrs!

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Here we are! At Dick and Sibyl's leaving do at Willow Creek. It was a fun evening!

I think every single person I know at Willow was in the room...so it was great to catch up. I also loved meeting the people behind familiar names too.

The celebration of Dick and Sibyl was just lovely! So well crafted and full of words spoken so well. Bill Donahue's version of American Pie was very fun - and clever! 

The sign of a great time is when laughter and tears co-habitate the room! 

It was a great time!

Between...

It's a funny thing to be between places. Between addresses. Between countries. Between communities. Between jobs. Between houses.
Liberating in many ways, like a sort of no man's land. Strangely similar in some ways to travelling long haul around the world and moving through airports following flight connections. Very little luggage...no demands...no expectations...free from normal routines...and yet also with the freedom to meet fellow travellers, exchange a smile or word...share the common experience...be present.
There are definitely occasional moments of disorientation at times, but by and large, I have settled into the rhythm of the Transition Trail - very much as I settle also into the rhythm of the long haul flight. You see, nothing big has changed.
I still have the same number of hours in each day
Am still following our Rabbi one step at a time (and am loving walking this Trail with him)
Still engage with the many small decisions which arise in any day or place
Still laugh and cry
Still learn and grow
Still breathe...

..in this Between.

Home

I realised again today how home is not so much a place for me as it is a collection of other less tangible things.
Primarily, home for me is being known and loved...and knowing and loving right back. It's comfy cardi friends...being safe...mocked(!)always with a barely concealed twinkle in the eye...being heard and hearing...doubling over with uncontrollable laughter, snorts exploding helplessly...places to walk...greenery...
I've found home here in Chicago.
And today as I have experienced home here, I find I'm anticipating home down under too.