New Poems in Lit Mags, Reno Dramas and Trying to Celebrate in the Midst of Chaos
- At July 13, 2016
- By Jeannine Gailey
- In Blog
- 0
Happy to report on poems from my upcoming book Field Guide to the End of the World in some of my favorite lit mags: Hayden’s Ferry Review (“Sentient or Replicant”) and Redactions (“Introduction to Field Studies.”) I may be biased, but this is maybe the best issue of Hayden’s Ferry I’ve seen in a long time – there are poems by fellow local poet Megan Snyder-Camp and the art inside is beautiful, too. And some of my fave folks are in this issue of Redactions: Sandy Longhorn, Steve Mueske, Noel Sloboda, Kristina Marie Darling, and Maya Zeller.
In the midst of trying to get the house renovated and getting packed up for our move at the end of the month, we had our 22nd anniversary and Glenn’s 45th birthday. It’s hard to celebrate in the middle of reno and health dramas – our current home’s dryer just broke down today, and various contractors – plumbers, electricians, glass people, kitchen people – have either not been able to show up, shown up late, and there’s so much chaos involved. The house currently has a thousand pounds of hardwood sitting in it, loads of dust and nails on the floor from Glenn’s various DIY demo projects (including taking up old ugly pink tile, taking down frame shower structures in the main floor’s bathrooms, tearing down kitchen cabinets and removing an eighties-era built-in entertainment system from the wall to make way for bookshelves,) and the only thing that’s even close to done is the painting. There’s so much to remember to do and I am certain we are missing half of it. This is on top of fielding phone calls and e-mails to and from doctors every day. I got the letter from my health insurance on “what to do after you receive a serious diagnosis.” Well, at least they care. About how much they’re going to spend. Ha ha, a little medical insurance humor. Did I mention we have two weeks to install air conditioning, put in new countertops and top kitchen cabinets, do electrical and plumbing work (which always needs to get done somehow in a new house), make the showers more handicapped-friendly… and get our stuffed back up at the old place, get it cleaned up, and move in!
This is a picture of Glenn after helping the lone fellow unload the hardwood from his truck AND assembling the very first piece of furniture bought for the house – a peacock blue rocking chair to watch birds from on our new house’s deck. He looks very relaxed but really he’s very tired – but still cute, right? This is our new deck view, and you can’t see them here, but there were a pair of hummingbirds zooming around our heads. Can’t wait to put out our hummingbird feeders!
We also grabbed a couple of hours on the weekend to run out and go to Seattle’s Woodland Park zoo, where we got to visit the rose garden in bloom and shot this picture of an angry-faced small-clawed otter. (I love otters!) It was a nice, if brief, respite from boxes and dust and such. I’ve been having such ups-and-downs with the new cancer diagnosis – I can only do so much reading and research a day before I start getting really depressed, for instance, so I have to make sure to focus on other parts of my life too. I’ve had to literally shut off all my access to the news – even on my cell phone – to maintain as much sanity as possible. I have nights when I cry and can’t sleep, and days when I feel upbeat and hopeful – maybe that’s normal. I kind of wish this had happened during a less stressful time – but right now there are only these little chances to grab a small amount of fun or calm in the middle of upheaval and stressful-but-stupid stuff like your dryer breaking in the middle of a load of towels. I’m trying to write too, but feel like writing about cancer is pretty tough to do in a new, non-maudlin, way. Hrmph. Also, I feel that this whole cancer thing is a good excuse to book a hot-air balloon ride over the Woodivnille area – because if not now, then when? And I don’t think I’ve been in a hot air balloon since my honeymoon 22 years ago! Well, maybe we’ll get time in August…I keep watching those sunny, happy-looking balloons soaring over the trees and vineyards around Woodinville, and think, that is a good way to get perspective, and force yourself to slow down. Balloons are an easy symbol of hope.