Here Come the Lasts

Three weeks I not much time to be home. It is so short that some of the firsts were also lasts. I was blessed to have visits with three special friends, but there were many others that were missed this time around. I am not ready for our time here to be over, even though I know there are so many things to do back on the other side. These days have been so precious, and I feel as though I am breathing better, and seeing things more clearly than I have in a long time.

Today was our last day working in the garden. We have filled holes and dug them, sifted rocks from dirt to create usable soil, mixed and moved cement for a stair base, eaten loads of fresh fruit, pulled countless (my autocorrect just chose the word pointless for countless, hmmmmm) weeds, and today we got a load of premixed cement that we hauled to fill the base of the future green house. We also spent time studying and following ant trails, we found a giant toad and an enormous grasshopper, and yesterday I discovered a mamma cat and her tow adorable kittens. There wer some long days, and seriously back aching work, and today was the last.

Yesterday was my last train ride, my last visit with friends, and my last time in Cheb. The moments I spend with dear people will remain with me, but it is always hard to say goodbye.

And, of course, in the next four days there are more lasts to come. We head to Germany tomorrow for some time with my sister-in-law and her family (this means ultra goulash in my head as I deal with Czech speaking parents, German speaking kids, and the bliss of occasional English from my husby.) On Sunday we're heading south to Susice to visit Grandma. Sadly, the dear elderly man who was her companion for the past few years passed on a couple months ago, but it will be lovely to see Babi again.

Then Monday will come. There will be packing, last minute shopping, and hopefully everything fitting before early Tuesday morning when we will get back on an airplane. Did I mention yet that I hate goodbyes? But that is one of the prices to be paid when you live life as a transient drifter. I have dear ones spread across the globe, which is a beautiful and heart wrenching thing all mixed up at the same time. I'm just going to hope these next few days slow down so the lasts don't pile up quite so fast.