"An Extraordinary Ordinary Life" (All About Time)

I never get my fill of baby Toby, but I don't get to see or hold him much despite my proximity to him.  He's eating, being changed, or napping at this age, so there isn't much Tayta can do, except watch these not very interesting happenings, and meditate on the miracle of life. I did observe him at church last Sunday.  He was entralled by the church ceiling lights.  I guess at four weeks, he was trying to focus on something and church lights are as good a something as any. And of course, I also miss the older siblings when I don't see them regularly.  After all, they are the reason I moved to Sewanee.  I try to visit and have conversations or games with them at least once or twice a week.  Last Sunday the King family had dinner at my home.  We played Children's Charades before dinner.  Fred is now certifiably an adult.  He reads his own phrases and acts them out proficiently, providing the correct signals for words and syllables and acting out dinosaurs and phrases like "jumping for joy" quite accurately.  Bea definitely has a future in the theater or movies.  Her career was launched right here with her acting of some phrases only she knew and which she forgot after lengthy acrobatic feats.  This Sunday afternoon was proof irrefutable of her talents.

But I so miss my French family.  Juliette turned eight without me celebrating her birthday with her.  Augustine excels at handball without me embarrassing myself on the sidelines.  And I miss my long, almost nightly philosophical conversations with Zeyna when we're together, mostly while we're both inebriated and filled with wisdom, and Eric watching and smiling.  But Zeyna and I manage to have these experiences anyway, on FaceTime.  Our latest was a few days ago.  We shared identification with Eve.  "When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it." Genesis 3:6 (NIV).  During long sleepless hours, I try to gain knowledge about where Joe is. The pain has not eased. It has deepened and become a different creature. I use logic, my deep roots in faith and my long-time-ago courses in theology and philosophy, to fathom where and how Joe might be. The epiphany has not occured yet. I want that fruit of knowledge although I know where getting it may lead.  Zeyna apparently shares similar thoughts, now that she's on vacation.  I sure miss Joe.  Zeyna and I will resume our evening talks at Christmas.

By Christmas, I should be settled in the home I live in now, currently without my belongings.  I sort of got used to living with someone else's furniture, kitchen stuff, towels, cushions, sheets, and coffee mugs.  But I am looking forward to allowing my grandchildren to make a mess without me worrying about the furniture, or the plates, or the floors, or the carpets.  The plan is for the house to be mine at the end of August, for my roomie to move her furniture out at the end of October, to have the house painted the first week of November, and then to have my stuff shipped from storage in Virginia shortly afterwards. My Tennessee BFF, Sharon, will help me unpack and get settled in plenty of time for the Ballees' visit.  So Christmas should be merry with both our girls and their families together here.  

My activities have been many but not productive: I watched the soccer semi finals and finals and cheered with joy when France won the cup.  My holding Toby during part of one game was the ultimate prize.  I went to at least four concerts, two of which were especially memorable: the Chattanooga Boys Choir and the Sewanee Summer Music Program's soloists competition concert.  Sharon and I drove a good hour to have a lovely meal at a distillary with a beautiful view, and then to attend quite an impressive local production of Grease. No, we did not take the distillary tour or consume its product, and yes we did take one photo. Once a week, some lady friends and I meet for breakfast or for lunch; I picked blueberries at a friend's orchard; I drive half an hour to the local Walmart and Kroger for weekly house and grocery needs (oh joy!), and Sharon and I shared lunches at home or out, and watched movies and got ridiculously sentimental.  I am taking full advantage of my retirement before classes begin, but I work a few hours a week finalizing my syllabus and preparing activities before August 29.

I will try to be more regular with updating this blog, so come back and visit me.  Drop me a note either on the blog or via email and stay in touch.

Sharon and I at the distillary restaurant-We ate outside and enjoyed the beautiful weather and scenery.

Toby trying to figure out who I am!

And for those who have not seen this on FB:

Moi picking blueberries

Celebrating Birth: Baby and Nation

At 11:07 pm on Wednesday, June 27, we welcomed a grandson:  Tobias Joseph King, born to younger daughter, Leyla, and her husband Ben King.  For those who are my friends on FB, you already know this and have seen Toby's photos.

Tobias Joseph King (Toby or TJ or as Zeyna likes to call him, Toby Joe)

The three King siblings: Fred, Bea, and Toby

Thankfully, we have Facebook and FaceTime so that I keep in touch with older daughter, Zeyna, and her family during this time of change in my life. 

 Oldest granddaughter, Teeny with newish dog, Osaka

The Ballee girls in their new pool in their home in the South of France

My own most exciting news is that I am now officially a Tennessean and no longer a Virginian. I finally have a Tennessee driver's license.  I thought giving up my VA driver's license would make me sad, but that didn't happen.  I am excited for this new chapter and probably the last in my life .  Beginning in Lebanon where I was born, I have lived in Syria, then back to Lebanon, then in the States of Illinois, Texas, Virginia, and now Tennessee.  Who would have thought?  Joe was with me in four of these six phases.  I still miss him.

But talking about the States, brings me to celebrating the fourth of July in my new small town. It was truly a pleasure and a delight.  I am not sure what I am more excited about: spending the fourth of July in Sewanee as a Tennessean or running around town with my two grandchildren.  

I walked more than seven miles on the fourth of July, mostly in ninety degree scorching sun, and pushing a stroller.  The day started with me walking the 1.2-mile distance from my abode to the Kings' at 7:30 a.m. where I picked up Fred and Bea, regaled in their red, white, and blue and waving American flags.  We made it to the raising of the flag ceremony in the nick of time.  More than a hundred people sang patriotic songs, accompanies by a small brass band, after a short prayer thanking God for our Country and freedom.  Then the flag was raised and we all pledged allegiance to it and to the Republic for which it stands.  What impressed me the most is that Fred, 7 years old, took off his baseball cap and reveretly recited the pledge and sang the national anthem.  Truly touching!   Pompa is proud!

Then off we went to peruse the vatious craft show booths and stands which lined University Avenue. We stopped off at my house for a break, some air-conditioning relief from the unrelenting heat, and some snacks.  We walked back to the children's play area for an hour of sheer joy for the multitudes of kid, and pure agony for their parents and grandparents.  The kids jumped and fished and battled and ran and sweat and screamed while parents swealtered in the burning sun, catching up on news and gossip.  It was amazing how many people stopped to congratulate me on the birth of Toby; some I knew and some total strangers, although they knew me since I was with Fred and Bea.  They welcomed me warmly to Sewanee.  Lunch at the cafeteria followed, although not much food was eaten.  It was then time to go to a birthday party in a park not too far from the cafeteria.  More playing and sweating ensued. By two p.m. we were ready to watch the parade. Oh joy!  More excitement and heat and sweating.  Fire trucks, Sheriffs' cars, bands on floats, candidates running for various posts, horses, and other creatures passed by, throwing candy to the delighted kids as we sat on the porch of a local business, less than a block from where I live. The Kings' parental unit joined us with baby Toby on his first outing.

I am enjoying my new life.  As you know, I come out of retirement tomorrow, to start working on the syllabus for the Arabic course I will be teaching in the fall semester, which begins on August 29.  

That's my news for now.  Write me a note here or via email if you can.