May 29th

I didn’t mind the time we lay sprawled on the canal’s grassy banks kissing and shielding each other from the sun, which on that day was—like the iteration of each slice from the panorama of happiness—so strong.

We are going to be free soon

No, I would not have minded if it lasted a little longer.

Then the aching, gray ended. What would have been spring decided to double-down, so that we jumped from winter to summer overnight. Now I sniff the air and the roses blooming like floral carpets hung over fences. I put my face in the sunlight and the sun holds it there as if it has hands.

The fantasy I had when I first dreamed up this German adventure was brought to fruition yesterday, because yesterday we went to the lake.

I emerged from a couple of low weeks (landlord selling the apartment, a romance coming to an end) the way I did from that cold lake water, revitalized, clean, and happy.

Cosmic threads, sweetheart

My very dear, old friend Evan passed through Berlin this past weekend. He’s on tour with the best, possibly only, all male choir dedicated to singing strictly Leonard Cohen songs, The Conspiracy of Beards. When I first met Evan over a decade ago, he was a member of the band, though he is more of their roadie now. He had once stood among the fedoras and suits singing lyrics like, You know my love goes with you as your love stays with me.

Evan and I are all grown up now and both better versions of our earlier selves, comfortable and crinkled around the eyes selves we could never have imagined. Nor could we have known how much all of this, and our lasting friendship, would both satisfy and excite us.

During the San Francisco years, we used to search out all all natural, idyllic, swimmable locations. It was called River Club, a nature-loving tribe composed of Evan, April, and I. I’m glad to see its comeback, albeit, this river was a lake. The lake smelled so cold and sweet and mossy. There were a million German lake-goes and so many blonde water babies.

All I thought all day long was, “it is so good to be alive.”

Tomorrow morning I’m flying to Switzerland to meet-up with my good friend from LA, Erika, in Lucerne. Summer is here; adventures abound…