Being Still
The constant rain has taken off the pressure to do anything
A week after we landed in Sicily, we have seen the following sites: two grocery stores, three bakeries, one pharmacy, and our house.
Sicily was always intended as a place to regroup. Our plan was to be here for three weeks, in two lovely and large places that were both booked off-season and during COVID, for a song. Two branches of the Grano family tree have roots here, and we would base first in Catania and then Palermo to explore as desired, while mostly just hanging out.
But Theresa’s uncle Roger’s death and the “Medicane” left just three kids and me here in the house. It’s been…an adjustment.
We are nearing three months into this adventure. We have stayed in 28 cities in 11 countries. I don't think any of us realized how ready we were to hunker down and just breathe.
The kids and I have settled into a routine of school, cooking, exercise, cards, and movies.
It has not been without some drama (there is a sibling- maybe two- under that pile of pillows Paul is laying on.) Cleaning up after one’s self takes on new visibility in common spaces without other adults cleaning up after them). The kid to adult ratio is not in my favor.
But generally, the kids have stepped up to cooking and cleaning, and it’s been kinda fun with different ones taking responsibility for different parts of lunch, dinner, and dishes.
I'm getting a surprising satisfaction from learning the "new math" alongside the kids and a new appreciation for what it takes to probe understanding rather than just skipping to the answers (teachers should make more money). I am not built to be an elementary school teacher.
Ava is learning about the weather, so we built a rain catcher out of a plastic bottle. We used bandaids to mark the inches because we don’t have tape. Pasta is a great way to talk about the states of matter. Kilograms to grams is a number line (shout out to Rachel Stack’s amazing “Great Minds” and “Wit and Wisdom” curriculums).
After lunch every day, we play Euchre, the Weber family card game of choice.
I am working and writing and reading alongside them, but trying to make myself generally interruptable.
The writing of this blog post has been halted for math help, discussions of Christmas presents, checking on the time that middle school will start next year, a stubbed and bleeding toe, and an argument about the appropriate number of times to be bathing in a week (more than one), and cold hands being warmed on my leg.
The open Mediterranean design of this house is perfect for being both together and apart. There's a pool table and movie room in the basement.
One amusing note is that with seven bedrooms to choose from, the kids have elected to stay in one, with Paul and Ava sharing a full bed and Sophie in a nearby twin bed.
We aren’t scheduled to leave here for five more days, and I’m pretty happy just to be still.
