skblog

20 April 2026

10:05am

Gouda, Groundhog, Guggenheim, Guy at the bar (Excuse Me), Gladly skipping home, Going to Aeon Books to feel a certain feeling...

I am writing on Monday morning, from the Museum. The weekend was quite eventful, a weekend of here and there I'd say. The feeling of the weekend began on Thursday, after work. I caught up with S on the phone as I made my way home, and then to the park. The chatter of springtime, the blossoms bursting from their branches, smiling dogs walking with noses pointed to the sky, I sat and admired it all. I had just begun reading Patti Smith's M train, the book R bought for me in Oxford, when I spotted E.

She arrived prepared for the first-sit-of-spring, with a blanket in tow and treats to place upon it. Some sort of brown bread I've seen sold in a shrink wrapped brick, a packet of cookies, a container of olives, and a white-ish cheese. I enjoyed sitting on that slightly sloping hill, surrounded by the general enjoyment of spring. Spring, spring, spring. I picked at the cheese, kind of scratching off these white spots on it, wondering if it was mold... "It's Gouda," E stated. It didn't exactly clear up the mold situation, since I wasn't sure if Gouda usually had white spots on it. I ate it anyways, and greatly enjoyed it. (I just looked it up, and I now know that those spots are calcium lactate crystals).

E spoke of being accountable to one another, though in different words. I felt nostalgic and content and grateful all in one, to think that at one time we owed each other nothing (her words), and now we wouldn't cancel plans with each other for some other opportunity that presents itself (also her words). It's beautiful! To go from strangers to community.

She came over after work on Friday too, but a whole lot happened between those two evenings. Mostly, the eventful bits all unfolded during my lunch break. I set out from the museum with my lunch in a box, the sky was blue (or at least I remember it as such...). I was nearly to 88th street, almost to my destination of The Guggenheim, when a large groundhog captured my attention. Actually, it was other people reacting to the groundhog which made me truly notice it.