King's Daughter's Kitchen

I would spend the week as myself. However, in my mind, I would change my sense of time back to my five-year-old self. Also, in my body, I would give myself the energy and youth my five-year-old self had. The transformation would not be completed without my sense of childhood invincibility. Also, as I would have gone straight to my grandchildren. I am assuming they are not home, as this time of year they are traveling around the world with their missionary parents. So, I am home, at first.

With this change, my grown up body is ready to enjoy myself. I paint first. I finish painting the ugly wall with the door in my living room. I pick Sherwin Williams colors sw6941 Nifty Turquoise and sw6385 Dover White. I prep, scrub and apply primer the first day. I apply all the fun color and clean up the second day. Then, I sit crosslegged on the floor and think about what to do next.

I decide to clean my husband’s hoarded collection from our yard. For two days I drag things through the fence to the dumpster, make trips to the city dump with the van, and make piles of glass, metal, and wood for the recycler. Then, I clean off the porch to make room for my swing. I sit in it, sweaty, and satisfied looking at the stars, petting Feivel, and drinking tea.

The next morning, it dawns on me that I can play endlessly. I shower and throw four days of clothes in a suitcase. Feivel and I jump in the van and head to see the Sisters.

For three days, we talk, drink coffee, stay up ’til we pass out, cook and eat pizza and Chinese food, play Majong and cards, and laugh until we snort or almost fall out of our chairs.

On the last day, I can feel in my bones that I’m changing back. I look at the clock to see if I can make it home by dark. I get my final hugs and kisses goodbye, I load up and go. The trip home is immensely long and tiring. I can barely carry my suitcase into the house. Doors locked. Lights out. Braces off. I collapse into bed. The next morning, I wake up. I am me again, aching. The house and I, though, we are happier, lighter, and brighter than before. And… what memories we have to share.