Day 11 Morning Reflection
We moved a lot when I was a kid. I went to twelve different elementary schools—never staying at a school for a full year. From this constant upheaval, I became highly adaptable and comfortable with change. Now I choose change quite frequently—moving from Silverton to Paonia, then off to Berlin for a couple years, back to Durango, off to Bulgaria for work, finally settling in Greece. Change creates new patterns of thinking, my lens change, time actually slows down.
This evening is the start of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, which according to an a NYTimes’s opinion piece is “all about making changes. It’s a time for new beginnings, for wiping the slate clean and starting over from scratch.” For some reason (haha) this resonates with me deeply a bit more than usual this year. The prayer recited on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, Unetanah Tokef, is about God reviewing the Book of Life and deciding the fate of every soul for the year to come. It is a reminder as we embrace the joy of the New Year that life is fragile, and that starting over, also means another year of not knowing what lies ahead.
On Rosh Hashanah it is inscribed,
And on Yom Kippur it is sealed.
How many shall pass away and how many shall be born,
Who shall live and who shall die,
Who shall reach the end of his days and who shall not,
Who shall perish by water and who by fire . . .
Truthfully I do not need this reminder. Ever since my boyfriend Dave was murdered in a mass shooting in 1993 and my brother Jim died of cancer in 1996, I have purposefully carried the thought of death on my shoulders. This awareness has never felt heavy, instead it makes me feel light.
Day 11 List
Yesterday was a big day of starting off with the usual salvaging, schlepping, rinsing, and washing. Time is starting to run short because things are starting to mold. If we had water it would make saving possessions much easier. On the way to Argalasti there is a gushing fresh water spring that comes out of the mountain. I decided to try to wash some severely mud soaked blankets in the stream to see if there was any chance of saving them. Unfortunately it didn’t work so well for the Moroccan Wedding Blanket that Lydia brought back to me from her travels there. I abandoned the blanket at the well for now. Just couldn’t deal.
The majority of the day was spent at the Airbnb I rented in Argalasti washing clothes. The process is working. When I went to the square for a coffee, I saw an Austrian friend who introduced me to a German lady, who immediately offered to help with laundry once she heard my story. Luckily she lives next door to the Airbnb, so I dropped off two loads.
I also spent a lot to the day on the phone starting with the engineer/builder we hired to come out and make an estimate of repair costs. Also with the insurance agent who needs forms from the accountant, and of course our lawyer, Vivi, who keeps reminding me that I must find the government agents that are inspecting houses, even if it means me walking into the mayor’s office and making a stir—“though not too big.”
The biggest news yesterday is that we found a home for Cookie, or I should say my friend Elyse found a home for Cookie. Elyse was with me when I first met Cookie, so it seems fitting. He’ll be off to a lovely home in the English countryside soon.
Today:
Wait for Antonis (engineer/builder) to come inspect house so he can make an estimate of repairs. The insurance needs this,
Salvage, schlepp, rinse
Write emails
Track down government inspectors/go to Argalasti government office?
Return stuff to Koukouleika folks
Call Elena, it’s her birthday!
Moved catching up on these…. Wish I could come back and be with you and help you out 💔💞 Happy birthday Elena!! 💝