The blank, unholy surprise of it

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We have found our groove in Casa del Lobos.

In our experience, when you move into a new place, there’s always some period of adjustment–whether that home is a historic apartment in Frankfurt or a Spanish Revival/Arts & Crafts home in Chicago. You need to figure out where to put your stuff, how your routine changes, what your favorite corners will be. It’s like learning to dance with a new partner or trying to cook in an unfamiliar kitchen, it takes time to find a rhythm that works.

So much of our time these past few weeks has been spent in a flurry of activity: unpacking, painting, cleaning, hanging, rearranging, and so on. The last few days we’ve slowed down enough to really enjoy this lovely new home. Today we had fun with the kids, and after a nice dinner, we burned our first fire in the beautiful fireplace that is the center of our living room.

It was a perfect moment, the five of us sitting on the couch in the dark, watching the flames, talking about what we see. Liam and I dozed on and off, while Mark and the girls chatted.

Tomorrow I will have breakfast with a few of my favorite Chicago girlfriends; then next week I meet some dear mom-friends for drinks, followed by the Chicago Literary Hall of Fame fundraiser on Thursday (more to come on that in the next post).

What a marvelous balance of quiet family time and engaging time spend with friends and colleagues–a grand way to start a new year and a new decade.

Desire

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"I arise in the morning torn between a desire to improve the world and a desire to enjoy the world. This makes it hard to plan the day."
E.B. White

Last year (2009) we moved four times: two different countries, three different cities. We lived in 2 apartments and 2 houses.

It was another year of transitions. I think we had enough of those in the last decade. Change is my friend, growth is a good thing indeed, but I’m ready for roots.

In the end, we found our home. The real deal. Casa del Lobos is IT. Home with a capital H. (I’m sure that I’ll get the bug to travel again sooner than later, but I after the adventure, I want to come home here.)

It is taking a while to get things in place (I cannot wait to have a functional kitchen next month, and I really miss having a sink…laundry sink in the basement is not my favorite for washing dishes), but from the first night spent here, we felt like it was the right place to be.  Casa del Lobos is a tremendous gift, and I am so grateful.

This has also been a year of community building and rearranging, reaching out to connect with old friends and new. I’ve met people this year that I am certain will be a part of my life for a long time to come. They too are a gift.

My kids are evolving into these interesting, creative little people who challenge and delight me. They are an enormous blessing, as is my husband.  He is a true partner, and I am happy to be sharing this adventure with him.

There is much to be grateful for and much to look forward to. I thank you for what you have added to my life, whether I see you regularly or only online. I look forward to what the next decade will bring.

I hope that 2010 is full of magic and opportunity. I hope that you are able to create things that make you joyful. I hope that you are surrounded by people who care for you and challenge you to grow, change, and explore. I hope that you are healthy, safe, and warm. I hope that you find something and/or someone that makes you feel happy to be alive.

Happy New Year!

Winter thoughts from Louise Glück

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Snowdrops

Do you know what I was, how I lived? You know
what despair is; then
winter should have meaning for you.

I did not expect to survive,
earth suppressing me. I didn’t expect
to waken again, to feel
in damp earth my body
able to respond again, remembering
after so long how to open again
in the cold light
of earliest spring–

afraid, yes, but among you again
crying yes risk joy

in the raw wind of the new world.

Louise Glück