It's a new month. Time to get back to writing regularly. I even have a couple ideas in mind for things I might write. But since I just spent two hours composing a letter to Elly, let me post that now as today's contribution. Then if I write more later, so much the better.
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Hey, Elly dear,
So you went to see "Guardians of the Galaxy" and "Expendables 3"? Gosh, … somehow in all the years we worked together I never got any idea of your taste in movies. I suppose it goes to show how narrow a slice of life the office really represents. On the other hand, if some day in an alternate universe you ever have to make conversation with Son 1 and Son 2, you can clearly talk movies with them for hours, as their taste is much the same. (I'm grinning broadly as I write this, never fear.)
Oh, speaking of movies – have you seen "A Most Wanted Man"? I wanted to see it while Son 1 was still in town, because he loves spy movies. (He was a big fan of the Bourne movies, even though he was a good bit younger when he saw them.) Somehow we didn't get around to it, but Son 2 and I went last week. I liked it, although in some respects the story was depressing and frustrating. But it was also a complex story, where the good guys and bad guys were, yes, distinguishable, but not heavy-handedly so. The Americans don't come off looking so good, I'm sorry to say.
Congratulations on your son's exams! That sounds wonderful! You'll have to explain to me what exactly the GCSE exams are :-) and where they fit in the grand scheme of things. But the results sound great.
By the same token, I'm sorry to hear that your raise was so disappointing. The way I look at it, this is really a reflection on your employers because it shows that they aren't deploying you to best advantage. If they don't value what they've got in you as an employee, it's only because they haven't allowed you the scope that would make your value most visible. So it's on them, not you. It's only unfortunate that it hits your pocketbook.
I drove Son 2 to Wife's place on Saturday. Then yesterday and today I have spent doing remarkably little: laundry, some groceries, not much more. That seems to be the pattern when I come off of a week with the boys – two weeks, really, since they and I drove out to [the next state over] the week before last to take Son 1 to university and then Son 2 stayed with me until Saturday. He's got one more week with Wife before school starts up for him again, and then we will be back to a more normal time and I can revisit a lot of the projects I put on hold all summer (like finishing up the separation paperwork, for one!).
Actually my first project will be to get my car looked at. The alternator light started coming on just before my flight to Sticksville, and during the week I was gone (while my car sat in long-term parking) the battery died. When I came back I called AAA, who got me started (and sold me a new battery) but then I left the car for another week with Wife because I had to borrow the van from her to carry all Son 1's stuff. So it sat, and again the battery died. When I finally retrieved it (two days ago, along with dropping off Son 2) a jump-start got me going so I could drive home, and I made a point to drive it a good bit yesterday. Today I didn't try to start it until about 1:30 this afternoon, and nothing doing. It's dead again. Clearly something is wronger than just a dud battery, although when AAA checked the alternator they pronounced it OK. So I'm going to have to get someone really to look at the thing. This will doubtless mean getting jump-started one more time, but I may as well wait until I have an appointment at a shop. I can walk to work if I give myself an hour to get there. I'll call around tomorrow.
Right now I'm downtown. Once I found that my car wouldn't start I had thought to walk to the Library to use their Internet connection, but the Library is closed for Labor Day. [This means you won't actually get this e-mail until I connect to the network at work tomorrow.] So I meandered on up to the big park downtown, bought a mango-on-a-stick from a snack vendor next to the playground, and then strolled across the street to the formal gardens. That's where I am right now, sitting in the shade watching the ducks. A little while ago a family came by with a lot of little kids who were all pretty excited by the turtles. And until a few minutes ago there was a young lady in the next patch of shade to my right, scantily dressed and with prominent tattoos, writing intently into some kind of journal. Oh look … here's a seagull wandering over in my direction looking for food – handouts, maybe. (Sorry dude, I finished my mango a while ago and I don't have anything to toss you.)
Your long walk sounds inspiring – the kind of thing that I would *want* to enjoy, and that I might indeed manage to enjoy if I were in better shape. (sigh) Last year I started joining hikes in the hills above town: a local group hosted them every Friday after work. They were a lot of fun, and as long as I went regularly I could watch my stamina increasing. But then something came up and I stopped going, and so I'm sure I've slid back to wherever I was before. Hmmm … maybe next week …. (sigh)
You said your kids go back to school Wednesday. Do they live with you while at school, or continue to rotate between you and your ex-husband … or do they live at school? Whichever way it works, I hope your week is going well. Me, I think I'm going to fold up my computer and watch the ducks a little while longer.
Best as ever,
Hosea
xx
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