Greetings from the woods…

That’s right I have returned to the peace, have returned to a life without a schedule, I officially looked at a clock about twice today. I have had 3 cups of really good Persian tea and am really pretty much in heaven.

As some of you know already, I paternal grandmother fell a few weeks ago and fractured her right knee. She is completely layed up and is confined to a wheelchair, well really her recliner in the living room. This is the woman who is use to feeding a household of 10-20 depending on who was staying over for a few weeks. She was also the first woman to sit on South Carolina’s Board of Chiropractic. Needless to say she is fiercely independent and values her mobility. So I know my folks have moved in here to take care of her. My dad, little did I know, closed his office in Greenville (the closest thing to a city in upstate South Carolina, about a two hour drive from their house in Clemson). My mom is in the middle of her practicum for her counseling degree and is also taking a full load of summer classes. My little sister Carmel (13) is homeschooled and has been staying home with Grandmother for the past couple of days. She is the one who is heading off to Detroit to dance with American Ballet Theater. Rebecca (17) is still in school and her year doesn’t end till June 4^th or so (poor poor soul). But her best friend Olivia has been living with my folks too for the summer. Olivia’s parents just had a very painful divorce and Olivia is struggling to make sense of herself and her new life. My parents, Olivia, Rebecca, and Olivia’s folks got together and consulted and they decided that Olivia needed some extra help, love and support so, she better move in with the Young’s for a while. It seems to be working out really well for all parties involved.

Now that you my loves have a bit of background you should know why I am ridiculous happy as I write. The house that my grandparent’s built is in the middle of the woods in Easley South Carolina. It is three stories high and all wood. It has high ceilings and lots of skylights. It has big wood stoves and lots of windows. I slept on the third floor last night right under a window and four skylights. As the sun started to warm my face as it came up this morning. I opened my eyes and all I saw was the brilliant green color of sunlight though a canopy of big green poplar trees. I just sighed and knew I was in the woods and my family was all around me and there were no cars going by and no E-mail to check, and no rehearsals, and no homework to finish. Another sigh and it felt like it was going to be alright.

I got up and fixed breakfast then the day got started with a washing of my big silly Labrador Retriever Zoey! I have had Zoey for 10 years. We grew up together what can I say, she is basically the best dog a girl can ask for. She gave me one litter of puppies when I was in seventh grade, five girls and one boy (figures). Zoey is now old and getting really fat and sluggish and needless to say living in doggie heaven after her brief stay in purgatory at my parent’s city home. She moved out to my grandparent’s house two days after my grandfather passed (last October). Well, Zoey got a bath this morning and a comb once all 75 lbs of her dried out. I cleaned the bathroom. Then we had some lunch grandmother, Carmel, and I. Then grandmother and I sat out on the porch and I read out loud to her. My grandmother is a brilliant painter and sculptor. She is also a diabetic. She started to lose her sight when I was about half way through high school. She now can only see light, dark, colors, but can still kind of read with huge glasses. So this afternoon on the porch I got to read out loud to her.

Then she mentioned that some tomatoes needed to get into the ground. Much to my bliss I found big compost pile, lime, and everything I could possibly want to do any and all gardening tasks over the next two weeks. I got to pull weeks and cultivate some soil for a few hours before Carmel went to the studio to take a much deserved Ballet class. Grandmother loves horror movies and is a CSI fanatic. So we spent a few hours watching some disturbing nonsense on the TV. In all honesty I think we were both very much asleep. Then I made some dinner and daddy came home.

I don’t have internet connection here but I think I might go into town tomorrow to post this and book some plane tickets. But I have a lot on my mind right now and taking care of my beloved grandmother and working the earth is exactly what I need before facing the big city for two months. I love you all so very much and can’t wait to read about all of your adventures! You are in my thoughts and prayers all the time.

Love and light,

Ruhiyyih

May 27, 2008