wellesley and the crane estate

my mom picked us up on newbury street and we drove out to our alma mater, wellesley college (both saydi and i went there, along with our oldest sister saren). isn’t it curious that feeling you get when you go to a place that was once home, no longer is home, but still feels so much like home, even with years wedged between you and it? for me, wellesley campus is steeped with memories and distant yet fresh familiarity. in so many ways there i became me. i love going back.

 

after a walk around campus, we went north to the crane estate to meet our “bulgarian sister” eva and her kids, who live in newburyport. eva lived with my family for about six years when i was young. she’s one of the coolest humans ever, and definitely the most cheerful person i’ve ever met. i love her so much!

the crane estate is this amazing mansion perched on a hill overlooking the atlantic with a long, lush lawn that runs from the house to the sea. it is such a gorgeous place.

besides all this lovliness and goodness and beauty, there was a lot of whining from the kids, a lot of tiredness as the result of the late night talks we can just never resist when we are together, and a lot of rushing to fit everything in. but the chaos is part of the joy.