First, Rosa (that is, my sister) graduated from college. This was an exciting experience - despite the icky weather on the big day, it was a really nice ceremony that even included mortarboard-throwing (something I'd never seen in real life). Even though Rosa isn't supposed to turn into a grown-up, I'm still proud of her!
The graduation weekend began with one of the most weird driving experiences I've ever had. Rosa's friend Ashley was taking us to a dinner at another friend's house, and about 5 minutes into the trip another driver on the highway communicated to us that we had a massively flat tire. Worried (and hungry), we pulled into a nearby gas station. The tire was entirely deflated and unpatchable. We (the four passengers of the car) had no idea how to change the tire, or even if there was a spare in the trunk. But no fear! Not only was the station attendant super willing to help us, but soon after our arrival, two men and a little boy pulled up in a truck and proceeded to change the tire, almost wordlessly. The boy was parked on the curb, left to eat his fruit cup in peace. Rosa tried to befriend him, and failed.
Immediately after Rosa's graduation, I had four wisdom teeth extracted. At the beginning it seemed like the easiest medical procedure ever: 15 minutes, 4 teeth gone, no pain, and a happy dreamy feeling that would have been prolonged by Vicodin. For a few days I was in high spirits and proceeded to get excited about cake-baking and other optimistic eating adventures.
Like barbecue.
It was great at the time, but it ended with dry socket. As that name suggests, dry socket is a gross, uncomfortable, generally BAD thing that can happen to you if your empty tooth-holes don't heal the right way. And as luck would have it, Vicodin makes my stomach hurt, so I couldn't even start to build up a painkiller addiction! Instead I relied on Advil and clove oil, which is magical and really does numb all dry socket pain. Nowadays dry socket is just a memory! Though I wonder: when do these tooth holes actually close up? Can anyone tell me?
For the first time in years, I went to Vermont with my whole family, which was really wonderful. We enjoyed all the nature, food and 99 cent baskets that this great state has to offer. It was one of those happy, too-short experiences that makes you feel nostalgic even while you're in the middle of it.
As always, I feel a little incomplete on either continent - always missing what's on the other side. Older, wiser expat friends tell me that this feeling never goes away. But the bittersweet feeling is proof of a full life; plus, I appreciate barbecue and cake much more if I spend some time craving them.
