1. Slug trails everywhere.
2. Tess walking through the leaves and calling them "wet crusties,"
straight from the mouth and imagination of one of her best
friends–another girl named Tess.
3. Tess asking me why Billy's name it really "William" when it should be "Billiam."
4. Even though I don't like Tess's teacher, she has inspired Tess when
it comes to science and I like that. I do. How wonderful would it be to
have a scientist in this family of artists, historians, and writers?
5. Neighbor has an ambulance and a firetruck at their house this
morning. Every time I see those red lights it takes me back to the car
accident was in as a 15 years old. The accident that really, truly
changed my life. I was on track to be a ballerina–or at least I
thought I was. (Looking back, I probably never could have made the
transition into the profession because of my height.) Eighteen stitches
in my head and a serious concussion messed up my inner ear and balance
for many years. So, that was that. But it ended up being a good
thing–I discovered there was more to life than the dance studio.
