Wednesday 16 July 2008

Tough Truth and a 5-Day Funk


Plenty of pilgrim action here in the past few days. Soon as Gareth (the guy in the pic) left we had lovely young Couch Surfers  who´ve walked all the way from Holland, stop and stay with us. They are traveling cheaply, sleeping in fields and vineyards and construction sites. They hadn´t had showers in five days(!), and gave us a rundown on how their "personal funk" evolves as the days pass by unwashed. I was very glad they shared this information while sitting outdoors in the patio, with a stiff breeze blowing upwind. After ten days, "things start getting medieval," Christian said.  

We prefer Enlightenment, ourselves, and all the indoor plumbing that goes with it. They happily laundered their clothes and had hot showers, too.     

Soon as they rolled out, within an hour arrived Varena "Nirvana" Maringer, an Austrian friend I know from Santiagobis, a Camino website. What I did not know before was she is a Bodhissatva, an enlightened being! Her quick stop for a cup of tea was a high point in my summer so far... with such quiet, pointed wisdom she reminded me of how temporary everything is, and how silly I am to let myself be caught-up in my ego and plans and expectations.  

I needed reminding. I´d been brought up short the night before by one of you blog readers, someone who I´ve worked with and for in the past, someone who knew me when I was wrote news and ad copy daily, sometimes brilliantly.  He thinks the blog is sloppy and self-indulgent and "typical," and very much in need of editing. And he is a pro. He knows what he´s talking about.  Ow!  

Reading back a bit, (especially Sunday´s entry), I see he´s right. Messy, messy. I promise to do better.  Even though it really IS only a blog.   

Still I felt bad for a long time, wondering if I really have lost iy, fallen out of practice, etc. etc. And that´s when Verena showed up and told me it´s really all "just a dance of atoms." Thank you, Boddhisattva.   

We´re expecting a few more Enlightened Beings soon... Filipe and Dick and Deirdre, and whomever else washes up on this shore.

 Meantime, the hay-cutting continues, Tim Dog´s former owner came by to see if he can take Tim out hunting in August. Bob Canary´s made friends with a local sparrow, and the fly and mosquito population is booming, despite the barn swallows´ best efforts to gobble them all up.  We are trying to rig up a fenced chicken run, so green things may once again grow out in the orchard and the hens will stop staring longingly at us from the living-room window, pecking disconsolately on the glass. 

The excitement never ends! Thanks for all the commentary. I feel better now, but don´t stop.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

toOh please ! Of course it doesn't seem like a news item or an ad - - because it isn't. It's a diary that you are (so generously) sharing what is passing in your life. I read it all the time (I'm the Winnipeger that checks in several times a week) and find it a wonderful window into the immigration and settling in process and living in a country other than the one you grew up in. Smile sweetly at your critical corespondent and carry on as you've been doing.

And happy anniversary !

Anonymous said...

Hey there, I skim your blog every once in a while and enjoy it, especially the photos like Paddy popping up in a sea of sunflowers. I'm guessing it was Jeff C. who smacked your knuckles over your blog style, si? Blogs are supposed to be freer and more personal than newspaper articles so don't fret it, amiga. Sorry I didn't see you when you walked through the Blade catacombs. Hasta la vista. And happy anniversary! I remember the riverside ceremony well. - David

Rebrites@yahoo.com said...

Jeff wouldn´t dare do that. It was a guy I used to freelance for. He´s since backed off, and I got off my high horse, too!

Virginia ("Ginn") said...

Ohhhhh my! I journaled daily while we lived in Ukraine (Feb 2005-May 2007)and blythly posted it online. Stream of consciousness stuff, essays, blurts and rants...it's all a bit like answering the doorbell wearing a bathrobe and showing an unwashed face. This is who I am. Come in, sit down, share some coffee.

One of my few rules is: at least be kind. I love your blog and the airy style. It is like a letter from home. Now, shall I pour us some coffee?

"Ginn"
www.pulverpages.com
In Sunny Santa Fe

M.I. said...

Hi !! Ola!

how funny to read about us!
by google-ing i found your weblog, and it's so nice read all these story's. but i didn't walked since holland, i started in pamplona. chris started in germany.
thanks so much for the hospitality (don't know if that word 's correct).
P.S. i had a new non-showering-record, and it's way worse then the last record, i don't dear to publish on internet...
greetings, mara.