Changes

I was thinking on the way out to the land today how much I hate change. Not all types of change -- I don't mind when I make changes in my own life, for example -- but changes to things associated with my past. It hit me today just before Thanksgiving dinner when Darren was talking about remodeling Mom’s kitchen, as it always does when anyone talks about remodeling removing the pink counter tops. The counter tops are ugly, I’ll admit, but they are also familiar. One of the recurring themes here is the idea of home. Some of the things I grasp a hold of may seem kind of silly, but they have meaning for me. Like the pink counter tops. Mom’s kitchen would be much nicer without them, but then the kitchen would feel a little less like the kitchen I have spent so much time hovering in, waiting for supper to be ready, or the kitchen that has served as the gathering place since Heather, Kai, and I left home. We have probably seen each other more in that kitchen as adults than we have anywhere else.

I also thought about it when I looked out the side window, down toward the gully and across to the James’ house on the other side. That land belongs to the James’ son now, but when Kai and I were youngsters, we played there and the Jameses didn’t mind. Now, the owners have placed an invisible fence there, let their dogs run around the whole area, and have told Mom to stop throwing brush and leaves over there. Not that we ever did anything there that would affect anything (including throwing some leaves over the fence), but they have effectively said to us “this is private property and you’re not allowed on it.” It feels like a real violation. In a way, I feel like we were there first, so who the hell does this guy think he is to tell us to stay off land that he will never even walk on. Do his dogs really mind? That is what I am trying to avoid by letting the neighbors continue to hunt on the land this season. There will probably come a time when I have trails going all over, and a small orchard on the right-of-way. When I get there, it will make sense to ask people not to hunt for safety reasons. Until then, I’ll just hope they don’t aim their guns toward the building site! Maybe tomorrow I’ll go buy an orange cap to wear while I’m working out here.

As if to affirm those thoughts, I found the following note from Ronnie (the hunter I met a few days ago with his son) on the truck's windshield :

Jonas,
I would like to say thank you for letting my son and myself hunt last week end. Also, I am letting you know I am in the woods today 11-23-06. I hope you don't mind and I would like to say I hope you and your family has a happy Thanksgiving.

He closed by giving me his contact information.