Sylvia's Journal

While the main message in our mostly silent Quaker Meeting appeared to be about seeing something to its logical, even if painful conclusion – a reference to Jesus walking willingly to his death – my personal stream of thoughts took me elsewhere. Instead of this ‘standing up for’ I was trying to wrestle my busy mind to the ground and ended up concluding that ‘surrender’ was better. By then the hour was over.

I dashed out for the very chilly and windy bike ride home. Sometimes the pull of others can feel like the pull of a magnet. So it was yesterday. Everyone except Jim was at home to celebrate with us the combination of Easter and our wedding anniversary.

I found everyone busy preparing the brunch: Sita hopped on her newly acquired bike and came back from the shop with real (as opposed to headache) champagne, Axel and Steve made the very rich asparagus quiche and Tessa the upside down apple (pan)cake. I, the only one having done my religious duties, was allowed to sit on the couch and knit. Towards the end of our meal our neighbor Kurt wandered by, one week too early for our (Greek) Easter party and ended up hitting the breeze with us talking about anything and everything, as he is wont to do; nothing left without an opinion attached. It is very entertaining.

After our meal Axel took a read/nap – he tends to combine the two and fools me as I can never tell whether he is reading or sleeping. Sita gave the rest of us drawing lessons – starting at about Kindergarten level. I am not sure we came out of it with much increased confidence nor skill but it certainly was entertaining.

We all went for a walk on Singing Beach – two more weeks before it will be closed to dogs – to let Chicha get rid of her pent up energy amidst countless other dogs. When she was unable to retrieve her (third) non-floating Frisbee out of the water we tried to direct another dog to get it but he too was unable to see below the waves. Finally Steve went into the freezing ocean just when a wave rolled the Frisbee right into Chicha’s mouth.

After our walk Sita and I played ukulele duets, with me rather hesitantly following Sita’s lead. I had not practiced much over the last few months and forgotten the five essential chords.

Axel and I had planned to work in the garden over the weekend, plant potatoes, rake, and weed, but nothing came of it as the weather was either too wet or too cold. But my daily trip to the new asparagus bed – checking for signs of life – was finally rewarded. One small tip is visible now. To celebrate we had asparagus flown in from California for dinner.