Thursday, May 24, 2007

Sticky skin and lilacs...

It's hot tonight. Hot and humid. It feels exactly how I remember summer feeling like, when I was little. I felt a wave of nostalgia as I put Hudson to sleep tonight. And it made me feel so content. Not a giddy happiness...but a calm contentment. I was nursing him in the chair in his room, his bare belly was against mine...sticky and sweaty...and he was half sleeping/half nursing...and the slightly cooler than room-temperature breeze was drifting in the window...bringing in the scent of lilacs. Instantly it brought back memories of my childhood. We never had airconditioning growing up. We took cool baths at night on hot summer nights, and it made it easier to fall asleep. But not long after...our skin would feel sticky and sweaty again. We had a lilac tree that you could smell whenever the wind blew into house. I loved that house. 20 Marquette St., Kirkland, PQ, H9H 3W8. It's been 20 years since we lived there, but we all still dream about it sometimes. Even my dad who is recovering from his aneurysm and has troubles with his memory...has recently spoken of the good times in that house. Tonight, in my hot, un-airconditioned house, my skin sticky and sweaty, the air smelling like lilacs...I watch my son sleeping...and I kinda miss the simplicity of being a kid.

3 comments:

Audrey said...

I LOVED that house too. I still have dreams about that house. I could draw a detailed map of the whole layout. I bet everyone in our family could. The best was the mirror at the top of the staircase upstairs where we all did our hair. Remember the basket full of hairdryers and products. :) Fun times for sure. And I was thinking of that lilac tree too recently. The one outside the dining room window on the side of the house, right? Good night sister.

Anonymous said...

Ahh what wonderful memories:
- the countless church guests that stayed over due to Mom & Dad's generosity
- hosting an unexpected wedding in our backyard for a young couple that we didn't know
- the boy neighbor telling Mom that he liked me and wanted to play with me and Mom saying "No" very rudely, then slamming the door
- AND the biggest Sweet 16 party that anyone in my grade had!
Yes, what fun times:)
xoxoxoxo

Joyce said...

that wedding we had in our backyard for the couple we didn't know...weird...i still remember the dress you wore...the soft soft pink one...