home again

I'm sitting in Starbucks (a.k.a. my office), listening to the samba music they're playing. In what little time I've had to work in the past couple of weeks, I've been trying to pound out some essays, and a poem for a wedding this weekend, which doesn't seem to want to get written.

And we actually moved back into our house this week (at last!), which has meant even less time to work.

In some ways, it feels as though we never left.


Then I remember the piles of stuff in every room of our house, bulging suitcases, shelves that need to be assembled, bins of moldy sheets and towels from storage that need to be washed.

Not that this is all I have to show for a year in Brazil.

But listening to the berimbau and sweet Portuguese crooning, I do feel slightly dislocated and wistful (possibly exactly what Starbucks marketers are going for).

Remember the breeze under the palm trees, sipping coconuts on the beach? Remember Dete doing the laundry?

Ah, well.

It is great to have our house back, the rooms freshly painted in bright colors, and all new Craigslist furniture.

I have to admit, in many ways the last thing I want to do after finally, finally getting into our house is to pack up yet again and take a road trip with three small kids.

But we'll get to see a new niece/cousin on the way, see the wonderful Jenny and Ben get married, and catch up with old friends.

And when we get back, we'll still have a couple of weeks to listen wistfully to bossa nova while we do laundry and unpack before school starts.


P.S. When I get back, I promise to change this blog's banner photo and subtitle. Any suggestions?