Hello from Suspended Animation! I am writing today because my brother left this morning and while I can't quite summon up the chutzpah to call friends when down in the mouth, I feel the need to reach out to the human interwebby in some small way. We drive each other crazy in many ways but he is my brother and he is my family and he does impulsive, generous things and we love each other as best we can, so it was sad to wave him back to Munich. But maybe he gets me a little more now, too. This was the first time he has seen where I live/how I live since I was 21. The recreation of our childhood book memories that I have collected freaked him out. Each title he mentioned, I was able to provide - Tuck Everlasting, Bridge to Teribithia, all the Gordon Kormans. But especially Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH. There wasn't much to do around here in NC but he is satisfied with long walks, greasy North American food, games and beer so it worked out just fine. Plus he brought German chocolate and the swooniest baby clothes from Petit Bateau. Those Euros know how to dress a kid. I also discovered he is rich, or at least richer than anyone else in my family, as we do not, as a rule, require Swiss bank accounts. He does not have a fancy house or car - travel is his main indulgence - but it is odd to recognize the disparity. And here I was feeling pretty smug having a dishwasher and washer/dryer for the first time in my life. Ah well.
Despite literally 5 plus miles of walking a day and a few vigorous games of bowling - see the people stare when obscenely pregnant woman gets a strike! - the baby is cruising along in the womb ride, seemingly not is a hurry to emerge. That's okay with me - I am super stubborn in my goal to make this whole thing unfurl as "naturally" as possible. But just today, as I returned to the now empty house with the tell-tale reminders of my oversized sibling scattered about, I may have been overheard to tell my bulging stomach that I wouldn't mind a little company out here in the world, if that was okay with them.