Monday, August 9, 2010

What I'm not doing while on vacation is

going to the aquarium in Atlanta, which my boys did with my father. Henry took this fantastic photo of a seahorse -- my very favorite sea animal. It was almost as good as being there.

So weird and mysterious, like they're from another universe altogether.


Sophie is recovering from her bad fall but has had a fever for a few days, off and on. It's unrelated to the accident, and I think she's just run-down. I continue to languish like some sort of nineteenth century convalescent confined to bed (not mine), reading books, murmuring sweet things to my children and feeling wilted in the unrelenting heat.  I wish I were as thin as those tubercular poets were, though. Ha.
I feel as if I've drifted into and out of consciousness these past three weeks, the boredom punctuated by moments of crisis that sharpen me, but only momentarily. Then it's back to some strange planet. Speaking of strange planets, the proliferation of political billboards out here in Georgia and South Carolina highways far outnumbers those in southern California. I drove from South Carolina yesterday and saw this fine one:
GOD IS NOT A SOCIALIST!

Right underneath this informative message was this:

BILLBOARDSAGAINSTOBAMA.COM

I'd like to say that I roll my eyes and condescendingly think those people are stupid or ridiculous or whatever. But I feel a tinge of fear. I feel unwelcome. I even yearn for Hollywood's simple billboards touting bad movies and sleazy reality shows. 


We leave for Los Angeles on Wednesday and I'm about as excited as those miners were who set out West, looking for gold.

18 comments:

  1. Remind me ... which parent raises the young among seahorses?

    Wishing you safe travels ...

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  2. And girl, I don't blame you for wanting to GO HOME!
    Please don't judge all of the south on the ignorance you see. We don't hide our stupidity. We put it up on signs and post them.
    We're stupid AND brave.
    Well. Some of us. Not all of us.
    I promise.

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  3. I love seahorses. I have tons of pictures from our last aquarium trip. I am glad you guys are headed home Wednesday. Home sweet home!

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  4. That sort of bigotry exists here in Australia too, especially at the moment, two weeks away from a national election.

    Stay well, you have such a burden and you carry it with so much dignity. Seahorses help.

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  5. Free speech is alive and well in the deep South. LOL! I live in Louisiana (just deemed 'the laziest state') and I wouldn't live anywhere else on earth. My state is a lush, fecund poem. We're not really lazy, it's just the heat and they took that damned poll in August. Wishing you a safe trip home. Blessings!!

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  6. That seahorse is Gorgeous.

    I felt like an alien when I lived in S. Carolina.

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  7. I didn't realize Sophie fell, I missed that post. Glad to hear she's OK but geez.
    I would feel unwelcome too, but I take comfort in my experiences with the real people of the South, and Ms. Moon. xoxoxo

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  8. ps that pictures is AWESOME. thrilling, seriously.

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  9. Your writing? I've decided I am totally in love with you.




    amazing.

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  10. seriously.
    i am clicking my heels together for you repeating your mantra...
    there's no place like home...
    there's no lace like home...

    sending you peace.
    and a safe return.

    xoxoxoxox,
    rebecca

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  11. Today is Tuesday. Only. one. more. day.

    Hope Sophie's fever is gone, soon.

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  12. P.S. Billboards aren't the south. They aren't even people. They are just a product of ORGANIZATIONS. And organizations, as a rule, don't have much to do with Love.

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  13. Oh, Elizabeth, I bet you can hardly wait to get back to "normal." I'm sorry your time away has been so hard!

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  14. In many ways, those who preach hate tend to be the most vocal and in times of adversity, people looking for somewhere to place blame are more receptive listeners. The times are rather bleak for much of the Western world, right now, and the true victims are the weak, those with no power and little voice to protect themselves.

    I'm sorry your vacation did not go well, but glad that you had good friends willing to come to you and pass the time.

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  15. Wishing you safe, easy travels. Will be thinking of you, as always.

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  16. i love sea horses too. those crazy dads have their hands--er, i mean fins full with all those tiny kids to raise.

    wishing you a trip full of gold out west. xxxx

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  17. That sea horse is damned cool. I hope you got home safe and sound. Jude and I were supposed to leave too, and the stupid airlines cancelled our flight! See you on the flip side.

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  18. So sorry about Sophie's fall - my goodness, how awful. I hope your trip home is uneventful, to say the least. Sending love.

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