Sally had welcomed me back to the US with an invitation to go flying over Essex County. I wrote her right back and asked ‘when?’ And so, while Tessa was rehearsing her graduation ceremony on her 5 inch heels, we took to the skies with Sally; Axel took his first flight since July 14, 2007. No sweat.
Below us was Essex County at its best. ‘This,’ said Sally, pointing at what laid before us, ‘is my office.’ She instructs people in the art of flying. That’s why Axel and I felt at ease in her small plane.
I realized how much I have forgotten about flying. When she offered I take the controls I accepted only the easiest task – cruising straight ahead. I will register as her student once we are back. I have a lot of catching up to do.
After flying came the dentist (3 cavities for Axel, 0 for me) and then we drove to DJ in Rockport to hang out for awhile and check out the new leather merchandise, especially shoes and handbags. On an otherwise slow day I made sure there was at least one buyer; the sale completed once Tessa showed up and dispensed her shoe advice, something I take very seriously. She approved of my selection.
On our way home we picked up Sita and Jim who were walking through the old Magnuson greenhouse, abandoned and for sale. Sorry sights like that always tug at Sita’s heart strings and bring out her discerning eye as a photographer of anyting that deserves our pity. One of her pictures, she told me, she posted on facebook with a request for 1 million dollar – just in case there were any people out there who were dying to pump money into a something most of us would consider derelict and hopeless, but she has a vision.
After a dinner of fish and greens, Tessa’s friend Val showed up to do a graduation henna tattoo on Tessa’s arm. It looked like an intricate Magic Shell designas the dark brown substance hardened on her skin. I marveled at Val’s steady hand that copied the design flawlessly from a page to Tessa’s arm. With her 3 feet of matted red hair, her 5 inch heels, her tattoo she will stand out a bit I suspect. Add to that the yellow cord for high honors around her neck and she will be irresistible.
Long after dark Steve drove up from Vermont with his mom and sister (from Toronto) and 3 dogs, two of them Tessa and Steve’s. I finally got to see our new grand-puppy Oona that isn’t all that small anymore and has surpassed her sister Chicha in weight and size. The large number of dogs (Val had brought hers as well) and the jumping and hugging and petting that went on in our small kitchen released enough dog hair and dander that Axel’s dog allergy, determined by the allergy specialist last week, was painfully confirmed.
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