starting small - day 24: evenings in the cafe

June 20th, 2017 - This is the twenty-fourth day of a 40 day blogging challenge: some pictures and words each day. Come back tomorrow to see more posts!  

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It became my rhythm during the school year to spend my evenings in the cafe. A long day of academics would come to a wonderful end, and with class discussions still running through my head, I would float joyfully out of classes and back to the dorm.With two hours before dinner to study, I would attempt to complete my homework for the next day before dinner. This rarely happened. However, when academics were completed and the books were back on my shelf, I would slip into some comfy clothing and head down to the cafe.

In Wisconsin, the kitchen is at the heart of the home. And so, 18 hours away from home, it seems very fitting that the cafe should be the heart of my school.

Descending the steps into the cafeteria after 8 pm, there is always some buzz in the air. Most of the time it is music, sometimes from the speaker, sometimes live. There is always laughter.

This hour of my evening is often accompanied by a hot chocolate and then a wander into the kitchen to see what J is baking for the night. 

A day spent with one's nose in one's books is delightful and filled with so many new things. But at night, when my brain can't seem to absorb any more newness, it is nice to slip into the cafe and reunite with the very familiar tastes, smells, and sounds of home. 

Home. It is very much in the air as the oven opens and closes, the aroma of fresh brownies wafting into the air. The swish of dishwater. The chopping of a knife. The whirr of a blender. The hiss of a frying pan. 

It is a perfect way to spend the evening. If I'm lucky, I'm able to help wash a few dishes, or cut a few chunks of butter, or even eat a cookie, fresh out of the oven. After a day, so full and busy and so far away from home, it is good to be able to return home for a little bit in my heart...