Chance = Change

Well, that is how it feels to be back in Abingdon: Home. Actually, at this very moment, I am sitting back at my NYC desk, with students arriving in a matter of hours, all intent on squeezing in one more hour of work with me before we really leave again on the 17th. I will be glad to see each and every one...BUT.....we do have a lot still to pack.

BUT FIRST: a short rhapsody on the theme: ABGINDON, VIRGINIA, its beauties, its people, its caring, its goodness: I had forgotten...how could I?...I had forgotten how comfortable I have always felt there. I had forgotten how genuinely kind and warm the people there are, and how willingly they come forth with their expressions of affection and care. I had forgotten how honestly beautiful the entire town is, since we do tend to take for granted a place we spend so much time working in around the clock.....being away has enabled me to see it all with fresh eyes, and the very sight of that town, its lovely houses and livable scale of buildings...well...it simply was a constant reminder to relax and take it more simply and easily....though there is always much to do there, since the Barter is a wonder of organization and activity on all levels, there is a graciousness about Abingdon....a fresh breath to it all that makes Barter's hard work even more do-able and more wanting-to-do-it-able...both Peter and i were so glad to be back. And so glad that so many people seemed glad that we were.

The house at 216 could not be more terrific for us. Stonewall Heights is always a street we loved, and now we have the right house on it, at least for a while. It is spacious, well-cared for, open, clean, interesting in its spatial organization, plenty of room for us to live in well. Peter took some photos, of the pretty front living room, with its fireplace alit, etc.....and the back garden is amazing, pond and all, which was gurgling sweetly to welcome us when we arrived last week.....I love the entire lay-out of that garden, and suspect, from what I can observe, that the sprintime will show itself gorgeously there. I love what our landlords have done with this house and gardens. I will post a photo or two as soon as I can. We unpacked the few boxes of delicate things we brought with us, untied bundles of some art we drove down and placed it in possible rooms...all this added to the wonderful small feast that Ann and Chris Johnson had left for us to enjoy on our late Friday arrival!

Hot tomato pumpkin soup, grilled cheese and ham sandwiches, a coffee pot, coffee, eggs,baked goods,orange joice,etc. They stocked us with all we needed to snuggle in for a few days, which was typical of their goodness to us. We also had countless meals with them, and with our dear Rick and Amanda who not only entertained us as they always do with style and warmth, but also refused to let us pick up a check...again, typical of their generosity...we adored meeting Judy Neal our efficient and caring realtor, who went over the house with us , jotting down all we requested to be looked at and fixed....she is so good at what she does, and we are grateful to her for all her help. In fact, with everything Rick, Amanda, Ann, Chris, Judy, and everyone has done for us, we could not be more grateful, and it makes both Peter and me want to work even harder on behalf of the theater that is such an important part of that community. We can hardly wait to get back, in a week or so...YIKES!

So we have much packing to get done. But, on Rick's advice, I will just BREATHE and somehow it will all get done. More on all this soon.