I was in Iowa when Iowa was in

Posted 1:01 PM by Michelle
Finally, an hour to actually write about this week... it's been really busy, actually, and I've had exactly no time to myself, which has been perfectly wonderful. But now I'm back at Kent and Melissa's house, wrapped up in a quilt and debating between a blog and a nap. I can only hope there is time for both before we all go see John Edwards speak this afternoon.

But I'm too tired to write, so instead, please enjoy this wee photoblog...

My first day here we went to pick pumpkins at the local patch...



My pumpkins are the middle one and the one on the far right. It's the first time, probably ever, that I didn't hide the pumpkins I'd carved, or at the very least, I'd hoped that a child's baseball bat might put it out of its misery...



I was lucky enough to spend Lucas' birthday with him and fam at the Brown Bottle...



and then out for a little too much tequila with my life-long best friend Stacey.



Stace and I found guildebooks for next September's trip to Peru...



and were witness to the incredible sight of as many assembled toy soldiers as real soldiers have died in Iraq:



We also saw our former house on Forest Dr. in Cedar Rapids, where the owners cut down the best tree, paved the green grass, and fenced in the yard (and are voting poorly)...



and then another old Williams house, warm and inviting, largely unchanged (and voting wisely)



There's much more, but time to go to the rally.

Uh,

Posted 1:39 AM by Michelle
It's awfully good news that I'm too tired to hook up my camera for shots of tonight. All that really matters is that Stace and I woke up the dogs when we stumbled home at 2 AM reeking of tequila and pizza. Oops. Those darn dogs! Why they gotta carry on so?

Stace and I are going to Peru next September. That is very good news.

I ought sleep.

Iowa

Posted 9:28 PM by Michelle
If I had to go home tomorrow, I'd say that I'd had one of the best vacations of my life. But I don't go home tomorrow... I get a whole nother week.

I took a run today through Iowa City, through real fall, complete with colorful leaves to kick and dogs to pet and college kids in sweatshirts. I got the immense pleasure of hanging with the whole Iowa Williams clan, the day before Lucas' sweet 16th birthday. Sean Patrick had to leave early to go do his work for the Democratic party, but Kent and I wandered the Co-op and bought veggies to make a curry. Melissa found me the best coat ever at her shop. It's so peacefully wonderful.

I spent yesterday evening with the entire family of my life-long best friend, and it was extraordinary. Her father has not changed, not even the smallest bit, since I was a kid in a sleeping bag next to my best friend on the living room floor, or cajoling for a space in front of the box fan on unbearably hot summer nights. Her father was always there, telling us stories, making us laugh. Her mother was always there, too, and I blame my desperate love of boxed mac 'n cheese on the comfort of her mother's table- the very same table where last night I carved a pumpkin. My best friend's house is the only one that recalls my childhood. We moved too often, and left behind too many friendships, to call any other former house a childhood home. But her house, and her siblings, and her parents, and all the cats, and the table, and the enormous fruit tree planted the year she was born all stand as reminders, as desperately needed proof that I indeed did have a childhood, no matter how short. Last night her mom asked if it was strange to be there; I told her truthfully that it was not. There was nothing strange about it. That house is still a home to me, and I'm stupid with thankfulness that it still exists, and that I will always be welcome there.

Usually I am a terrible pumpkin carver, but as soon as I get my hands on Stacey's camera, I shall prove that just this once, I done good.