Squirrel Lapping Up the Sap. Photo by Priscillakittycat
I’m writing this blog entry while watching the Canes game (we’re up 45-30), talking to a friend via phone and “paintin’ your toenails pink”. At this rate it will take hours, maybe days, to finish a paragraph. I suspect the writing will sound scattered, which is exactly how I feel. Even before Hurricane Irma came through our region, things seemed a bit off. I can’t explain it, but I feel it.
I’m not the only one who feels this way. During my conversations with friends and colleagues they’ve mentioned experiencing a similar sensation. It’s as if something were missing. Others say it’s a little bit of anxiety. I’m unable to focus. But then again, so much has happened in the last couple of months. I thought my life would move in one direction and it took a turn in another.
I should talk about food. Well, there was the Costco-size box of Oreo cookies that we bought for the hurricane. We bought Chips Ahoy cookies, as well. There were bags of potato chips, popcorn and tins of crackers. Sardines and cans of tuna galore. One section of our bar contained stacked cases of beer. In another corner we stored water and Gatorade.
Did I cook for the hurricane? Yes, I made Guacamole two days in a row. I ate chips and guacamole uncontrollably. When the Guacamole was gone I finished off the chips. My cousin and I prepared and baked Lebanese pastries (Esfiha). I must have had 30 pastries within 12 hours. Oreo cookies in hand, we watched the wind whipping and the trees on our street fall to the ground. We played cards in the candlelight and ate bagged popcorn when the lights went out. I gained 5 lbs in 48 hours. So this is what it means to binge eat?
And now here we are, alive and well. We are thankful that the eye of the hurricane deviated from the original projected course but sad to know the Caribbean Islands and Florida Keys were shown no mercy. I went for a run today to clear the mind. I had to run in the street because there are still piles of trees and trash on the sidewalks. Amidst what appeared to be chaos, there was order. The squirrel in the photo wasn’t fazed by the new surroundings. She skipped across the street and scurried up the broken tree to lap up some sap. The confusion is just in the mind. My t-shirt says, “Life is Good”. And it is.
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É Sabado. Enquanto escrevo o texto para o blog assisto um jogo dos Miami Hurricanes (estamos ganhando 45-30), pinto as unhas, e converso pelo telefone. Muito mudou depois que o furacão Irma passou pela nossa região. Está tudo confuso. É dificil explicar mas a mente ficou embaralhada. Outras pessoas com quem tenho falado sentem o mesmo. É como se estivesse faltando alguma coisa. Pode ser até uma ansiedade. Pensei que a minha vida fosse tomar um rumo…mas está deslisando em outra direção. Não é nada ruím.
Devo falar da comida. Voce quer saber se cozinhei durante o furacão? Oh, se cozinhei! Eramos três cozinheiras. Tinha muita comida. O número de bocas para comer era o mesmo, mas a fome era dobrada. Eu comia e bebia descontroladamente. Cookies, pasteis, chips, cerveja…Ganhei 2 kilos em 48 horas.
Agora, dias depois…resolvi dar uma corrida pelo bairro. Tive que correr no meio da rua para desviar das pilhas de árvores caidas. Apesar da bagunça estava tudo em ordem. O esquilo nem se preocupou. Ele deu uns saltinhos e correu para cima da árvore para lamber o mel do tronco. A confusão esta em nossa mente. Estamos com vida. E a vida é boa.
priscillakittycat 