Sunday, July 21, 2002

on the last day of summer
the sun came out
to say goodbye
on the last day of summer
out in the shade
here's lemonade
and children sang,
and doorbells rang
and people went their way like nothing now
could go wrongthe secrets shared
and the times we cared
when morning comes we'll all just float on
out of here


today was my last day of summer. 48 hours from now on, i'll be somewhere over this continent, headed south east, heading for winter, most likely being fed warmed up plane food with a significant asian influence (and it being warmed up and delivered by sia, it might even taste not too shabby for plane food, either).

i took a break from all the hyped-upness i've felt this past week and enjoyed the day today. no packing, no preparations, no cuckoo clock shopping. it felt like summer today, and i tried to make the most of it.

for a last time this summer, i wore my denim skirt, my old black ripped tank top and strappy sandals. i wore sunscreen and no makeup. i felt the sun and the wind, climbed up the spire of the cathedral and admired the view and sat in a biergarten overlooking the city and felt happy about this being the place where i live.

saara, the finnish gal living in basel that i met on the trainride back from geneva, visited me today, and we had the most delightful day, indeed.
walked round the city, sat in various cafes and biergartens and talked and talked and talked, chatted with the old guy working up in the cathedral spire (which was absolutely delightful, and during which i learned, after five years of wondering, how the heavy bells were brought up to the spire), had a nice late lunch and icecream and caipirinhas.
it was relaxed, and friendly, and meaningful, and i wish we'd have more time to maybe grow a lasting friendship, that's how lovely it was.

this half tourist, half gal-pal day was perfect for a day like today, indeed. had it not been for this, i'd have paced through my flat, wondered about packing, and worried. and watched the tdf stage up mt.ventoux, which might have been a wee bit sad, considering i had wanted to be there today.

but instead i was out there having a life, meeting an interesting person, and enjoying the last day of summer, and i am quite happy to have had such a good day.

now i am tired, pondering whether i should give myself a mani- & pedicure/wrap up the book i collaged last night/answer all unanswered email now or tomorrow or whether i shouldn't just head to the shower and then to the bed instead.

strongly feel like the latter; my poor tired body can't wait to be stretched out on my comfortable bed because it walked so much today. and then there's the bruises on my right hip, substained when carrying my old trusty broken and locked bike from tina's cellar to my cellar. that entailed a 4km walk (no bikes on trams, not even broken ones). a 4km walk with a locked bike with two flat tires. halleluja.
only on the last 500m a gentleman passing me by was helpful enough to assist...the kindness of strangers. couldn't even thank him well enough, because i don't speak any turkish. quite sad.
so for the majority of the way, i held on to the bars with my left hand, grabbed the column with my right hand and sort of rested the saddle against my side. it worked well then, but now my entire right side is bruised from the weight. ouch. that much to a bruise and injury free first look and feel of my body for my boy.

but my bike is home. and once i'm back, it'll get completely re-furbished and repaired and we'll go on adventures together, that will one day lead us to mt.ventoux, i'm sure. which will hurt a lot more than those bruises today, i guess.

also had a long talk with ann, evan's mom, and with evan today, and that was both absolutely splendid, even though it hasn't made the fact we'll be meeting so soon any more real. when will it dawn on me that this is happening?
one would think that by now, we would both do it with ease, this travel and adaption thing, but it's never going to be "normal", i think, until i am there for good.

i'm so lucky. and so loved. and almost where my heart is.

life feels very good today.