“The Nearness of You” [Saturday Ongoing]

This is one of my favorite Saturdays in awhile. After our lazy morning of TV-in-pajamas, we dressed quickly, split a honey-wheat bagel and headed out the door to the Farmer’s Market. Jeremy scoured the Gardens of Babylon nursery for lavender Crape Myrtles while I headed for the vegetable tents. I love walking through the tunnel surrounded by baskets of colorful produce in bright shades of green, orange, yellow and red. My nose led me to the soap lady in the local artisan’s section and I sampled the scents of homemade eucalyptus, lemon, and peppermint soaps, soft from olive oil. I bought a tumbled-edge bar of $2 lemon soap from the bargain basket and walked to the next table to pick up a pound of fresh pasta. Lemon seemed to be the flavor of the day, so I passed up the cheese raviolis and chose a box of fresh lemon-peppercorn linguine sprinkled with a bit of cornmeal. On my stroll back to meet Jeremy I picked up some green onions, a head of garlic, and a basket of grape tomatoes. Home we went.



Jeremy was eager to make a sauce from my ingredients for the pasta tonight so I helped chop the onions and garlic while olive oil popped and sizzled in the big sauce-pot. Louis and Ella sang from the speakers, and the sun poured through our kitchen windows, splashing light all around. In went a yellow can of tomatoes and a large clump of thyme from the herb trough out back.




Next we attempted an art project (my idea) with sun-sensitive paper and clippings of fern, leaves, and bamboo from the yard. Jeremy’s two designs turned out much better than my three, but escaping the heat became more important than getting it just right.



I headed out to buy a few final organizing items for the closet, while Jeremy stirred the sauce and took a rest. I listened to the Beatles B-sides all the way home (via Deep Tracks on XM Radio) and just as I approached the house, Simon and Garfunkel had a turn. Jeremy waved from the front porch where he was checking on the status of our droopy Dawn Redwood, and I cranked up the song…

“Hey, I've got nothing to do today but smile.
Da-n-da-da-n-da-da-n-da-da here I am
The only living boy in New York…”

I sat in the car at the edge of the curb just listening and letting the air conditioner cool my face. I felt a wave of nostalgia for my childhood mixed with a memory from two summers ago when Jeremy surprised me with a Simon and Garfunkel concert for my birthday. For a second I wished the day was cool enough to hop into our VW bug for a drive, like we did last fall. I had to listen to the song the whole way through. I knew as soon as I turned the car key the moment would be over, and I wanted to sit in it as long as I could. Certain music does that.

Jeremy met me at the door. I feel so fortunate to have a husband who I love to spend time with, and who above all else is an amazing friend. Sure, we have our moments when things don’t seem as effortlessly in sync as they did today…but much more often than not, I’m happiest to have him nearby.