Phew! Since since school let out, I’ve felt even more tired than during school. But thankfully, I am more physically exhausted than mentally exhausted. Seems like I can recover quicker from a full day making the yard pretty than a full day studying unnecessary information for a test.
So far our summer has been relatively uneventful. Quite honestly I don’t feel like it’s even started yet. Maybe because it’s not uber hot? Maybe because Cobalt and I haven’t left for our trip? Maybe because we haven’t harvested anything from our garden yet? Well, for whatever the reason, I’m glad. My brain is seriously still fried from all the boatloads of information thrown at me the past fall and spring semesters for classes, for establishing my where-a-bouts around town, and for preparing for graduating next year (eek!).
Nonetheless, I’ve tried to balance my non-eventful days of brain recovery with eventful ones of physical work. For example, I started volunteering at Crabtree Farms again. Oh, how lovely it was the first day I went back! It made my heart flip flop with giggles!
My first day went like this: I pulled up to the gravel parking lot, walked into the barn and right before I was about to sign in, I saw one of the staff, Trae, working on something.
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“Hey what’s up?” I called.
“Hey! How’s it going?” he replied, with a tone that said I recognize you.
“Great! So I’m just checking, as this is my first time here this year,” I began. “Is the shpeal the same as usual? I sign in here in the booklet for volunteer hours, and then put my belongings in the kitchen and get started?”
“Yep, that’s right!” he replied. “Make yourself at home!”
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Make yourself at home. A phrase I like hearing, especially when I know that other people know that I’m familiar with that home. I smiled happily to myself as I wrote Hope Cox. . .8:30am.
The rest of the day was even greater, meeting new people, working together with them, and re-acquainting myself with the God-blessed farm that I had spent quality time with last summer.
The only small thing I had forgotten was how much work it is to farm. At one point, two other volunteers and I worked an hour or so digging out holes in seven black-plastic-covered rows (in a field) so that tomatoes could be planted there. The guy volunteer marked the holes 18-inches apart with a sharp stick and a measuring rod while the girl volunteer and I followed with bulb planters (pictured on the right) to pull out the dirt from the hole. After much squatting, bending over, pushing and twisting, we were done with the some odd 175-200 holes. Let me just say I was glad I had put on a hat and sunglasses before we started! I don’t mind sore muscles; it’s sunburns that are miserable!
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Other than Crabtree Farms, Cobalt and I have been mowing our lawn a lot. It’s basically our new hobby at the moment. ;) We mow about 1/4 to 1/3 of the yard at a time because that’s all we can do, it’s so big! Recently, we got a letter from the city saying we’ve had complaints about not mowing our lawn enough, so we’ve stepped it up a notch. We now try to mow two or three times a week instead of just once!
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Meanwhile, to keep my brain up and running while out of school, I’ve been trying to use it for productive things such as writing in my food blog, playing Scrabble/Words with Friends on Facebook, and. . .well. . .okay, so that’s about it. I’ve been wanting to catch up with Bible reading or something else spiritually productive. But I’ve been making excuses on that one. I do think it’s getting better though. Having more time now to think than study has helped me to evaluate my life and fill it with thankful prayers instead of frustrations and complaining.
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All in all, my favorite part about this “almost summer” has been mine and Cobalt’s visit to Johnson City last weekend. Originally, we were just going to see my roommate Abby’s graduation. But in the meantime, we saw many more friends than we expected.
Our short, yet fun-filled weekend went like this:
Saturday morning we arrived in JC to eat lunch with Lois at her apartment, then went with her to Abby’s graduation. Afterwards, we went to the gym floor to say hi to the graduates we knew, including Abby, whom I am pictured with on the right. :)
With Ruth (who had also sat with us during the graduation), we visited Emilee at her graduation party across town; a great thing for my heart because I hadn’t seen Emilee or talked to her in several months.
Lastly, we hung out with Abby and a couple other friends at Lois’s til late evening. Exhausted, Cobalt and I finally headed to a family’s house who attends our former church to stay the night. I chuckled when greeted by a low-pitched “hello” from their youngest son James; we hadn’t seen him and his family since August and I’d forgotten that younger boys’ voices change!
Cobalt and I slept so well that night. The windows had been open in the bedroom, so we kept them that way, and I’m glad we did! I had forgotten the cool, sweet-smelling and nourishing mountain air of East Tennessee. The next morning, I felt like I’d been asleep as long as Rip Van Winkle (except that I had no beard to show it).
Sunday morning, we attended our former church. Singing the familiar hymns, hearing the familiar acoustic instruments, smelling the familiar smell of the building, feeling the familiar people around me. . .all was such a comfort. It felt like coming home after a long time gone.
Following the service, we ate lunch with some friends at a new local Mediterranean restaurant not too far away. Cobalt and I first shared a gyro but, realizing how hungry we were for lack of breakfast, ordered another one. The weather was so pleasant that a few of us then headed to the park down the street to sit on blankets and talk for an hour and a half. Too soon, Cobalt and I said our goodbyes and headed to Knoxville to see Stuart (his former roommate/business partner), Stu’s girlfriend Ashley and roommate Kurt. We enjoyed their company and eating out at a pizza place (coincidentally during a loud, Sunday night concert). I was also happy to try two different beers that I actually liked! (Of course I can’t remember the names of them ;))
As it was getting late, we bid adieu and drove home.
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When I laid my head on my pillow, I couldn’t believe that two people could do so much on one weekend. It felt kind of special – like we time-machined from place to place. I felt productive, loved, happy, comforted, joyful, and overall thankful that God allowed Cobalt and I to make the quick trip to our former home. I was also sad because never again will it be the same place. We said goodbye to many friends who are moving away to different parts of the country, just as we did last year. Whether or not these friends — or us for that matter — return to Johnson City, God only knows. But to know that God has our friends futures, and mine and Cobalt’s also is more comforting than anything. God is our Hope, our strength in this life of continual goodbyes. Someday we won’t have to say goodbye anymore. We won’t have to cry because our hearts are aching. Praise God!
-Hope