This afternoon the storm clouds moved in, but just as quickly as they came in, they sailed right on past the house- creating a yellow glow on the deck. The sun now is bright and is shining through the trees, creating shredding splinters of warm, golden rays. Even Callie is enjoying the calm of a nice Tuesday evening in Maine.
The calm is welcomed around here after a more than hectic couple of days that included a wedding and moving Gram back down to Portland. Gram's rehab stint up in Freeport ended Monday morning and we went up to get her in Mom's new car.
- She's letting you drive her car? Gram asked.
- I'm paying her. It's the only way she'll let me.
- I see, Gram said, turning back to the side window and the rolling mesh of green along the highway. My sunglasses hung off of her face like icicles hanging off the gutters in winter. We couldn't find her blue blockers and when I grabbed a pair from her apartment later that day, we found out that they weren't hers- they were some man's.
None of us chose to touch that one.
Gram is now in Room 207, rooming with a lady that is as equally deaf as she is, a real sweetheart named Viola who was justifiably a little concerned when she returned from her lunch to find strangers in her room. I wondered what happened to her old roommate and what had happened to the person who had been in 207 before Gram. In the hallways, old-timers took their time in their wheel chairs and with their walkers. No one except the nurses moved at any kind of reasonable pace. Even the train going by outside seemed to be creeping it's way down the train tracks. I did not get a chance to see if Sire had gotten the chance to tag one of the box cars like he had tagged nearly every flat surface in the greater Philadelphia area. But my guess was probably.
That dude gets around.
And now Gram gets around a different set of hallways and Erin and Fast Eddie are getting around Ireland- having pints and ringing us to tell us tales of crazy driving experiences and lackluster exchange rates. Callie is getting around the backyard and tomorrow, I'll be getting around back down in sweaty Philly. For being here a week, it really only feels like a weekend and the calm is comforting. Calm usually is and I know Mom & Dad enjoy it- the neighbors probably do too.
But to hell with the neighbors. The fun was had and the fun was had right. From Thursday night's impromptu party dinner to running around on the rocks out at Two Lights on Friday with the Greenleafs to the incredibly emotional and surprising Rehearsal Dinner Friday night and then to the real ho-down, the wedding on Saturday.
The Cathedral was beautiful in it's simplicity and hot in it's lack of ventilation, but what can you do besides pull your pant legs up just a bit, to increase the air flow.
- Lee, Ryan's crying, Meg said.
- No he's just sweating, Lee said.
Well I was doing both and those things just kind of happen when your younger sister gets married at the tail end of July in sunny Portland, Maine.
I guess it's all happening now and has all happened and we're all better off for it. Erin, Fast Eddie, the Bridal Party, the ushers, Gram, Ma Dukes & Big Pops, and everyone else who felt something special on Saturday. I thought I would get more emotional, but the only time I did was after Erin came over to hug me during the giving of peace. I stole a quick glance at Mom, seeing her wet eyes and griping my Dad's arm tightly. Then I got it, the sweat on my brow was joined by slight tears in my eyes. I got the feeling that this was special and this was real. That this was amazing and beautiful and the greatest thing to happen to me on a Saturday since watching Saved by the Bell Saturday mornings with Erin when we were growing up.
I don't remember much from my childhood. I leave that up to Erin. But I'll never forget Saturday and I leave that up to Erin as well.
25 miles to go and as every day passes, things seem to make more and more sense.
Except Maine drivers.
Their driving will never make sense to me.
Not in a million years.
Congratulations Erin and Ed- Dugan & I will be waiting in Philly for you when you get back.
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