torture and other thoughts by k

i'm still surrounded by many of the things we have accumulated over these past two years. the big things were relatively easy to get rid of. it's the little stuff...the box of pencils and pens and paints and markers that are a pain. i hate to throw perfectly good things away, but how much can one pass on. for the most part, i think i have done really well with this torturous process. last night arel, dorian and i went to my friend miguel's for dinner and we brought his 6-year-old son a bag of hand-me-downs. his joy at discovering each thing made me so happy! what had felt like excessive junk or stuff that was sad to be letting go became an object of joy for this little boy. the books would still be used, the sweatshirts would still be worn, the dice would still be thrown and stacked and lost. everything is okay.

in our taxi on the way home, i was joking with the driver...a young guy from andalucia, and he said "this country needs more people like you." i said, "i know!" spaniards, or catalans, or maybe both, don't have fun of a sense of humor or sense of fun. i will be missed on some level.

the electric guitar gets picked up today, the oyster sauce and dorian's scooter will have a new home this afternoon, two of the three bikes will be gone this weekend, and so on and so on until we're down to our suitcases again.

but first, the costa brava to celebrate arel's 13th birthday! then on to france for a few days to see anja, julian and florian at her parents' vacation house, back to the costa brava for a few days with miguel and maxim, and then the final final packing and on an airplane on saturday, july 31.

old school folders, anyone?