Hooray For Independence and Hot Dogs!

my first (and long awaited) summer hot dog

What a wonderful time to return to the U.S. I must admit, however, that the 4th is seriously down played. Granted, I didn't have much chance for exposure given that I returned only two days before and was operating as only half of a human, but I was hoping to be deeply moved or maybe even caused to shed a tear or two. I was neither. In fact, it never even really felt like the 4th. I think the recent weather had a lot to do with it. It's hard to get exited for a summery holiday when the weather is less than cooperative. I've got high hopes for July!

Nonetheless, I had a fantastic weekend. I headed up north to the Lake Winnepesauke region to spend time with my dad's family. He and my aunt each have a place up there. On the ride up I listened to my South African music. During that time I felt one foot land on the ground. I had the music up loud as I drove through the familiar streets (back on the RIGHT side of the road). The music was completely Cape Town to me. The sights in front of me were home. The two worlds were bridged, and what I felt can be best descibed as completion. I literally felt my body fill up as I drove. It filled me until my eyes began to water with tears. And I was happy. The music was the tangible notion that Africa has come with me. Even here in rurual america, Africa is keeping me company and moving forward with me.

We spent the weekend boating, hiking, BBQing, playing Blokus and relaxing in the sun. It felt amazing to feel the sting of summer on my cheeks, nose, and shoulders. My dad and I hiked Bald Knob on Sunday. My dad is familiar with many of the trails in the neighborhood and he led me on an 8 mile trek through the woods and along some waterfalls. We had an amazing view of the entire lake from the peak and we mapped out the surrounding land, islands, and our neighborhood. We also found wild blueberries which we took home for pancakes! The waterfalls on the way down were gushing from the recent rains. With the sun coming in through the trees, the sight was magnificent.

Hiking was a great bridge from SA to USA (interesting how they are only one letter off). It connected me so much to SA because hiking was such a big part of my time there. At the same time, I felt grounded here at home because the hike was so completely different; so completely New Hampshire. The smell of the forrest, the mountains, the lake, and the town was so familiar to me.

Spending time with my dad and family helped me to appreciate my return home. I enjoyed sharing my South African experiences with them and I always enjoy the company of people I care so much about. Anyone who knows me would appreciate my behaviors after only 10 minutes with my dad's family. We spent the entire weekend sporatically in search for someone's keys, wallet, or cell phone. When we weren't doing that, we were reminding each other to remember them. My family is also good for laughs...most often at the expense of someone else (and their missing or forgotten item). The bad news: my dad turned 49 this week and he is in the process of recieving his replacement cards and IDs from the wallet he lost last week-so I guess it's not something I can expect to 'grow out of'. The good news: I'm a Surprenant!!