A quick note, in summary of what's going on lately...
Ben is home, safe and sound. He grew. :o)
My dad had surgery last week and is doing fine. My mom is having her second cataract surgery this upcoming week, and I'm sure, will also do fine.
The Fair is nearly over. It's been a good experience; I've had the chance to get to know some really cool people, and the extra income has been really helpful.
I haven't gotten to fight hardly at all, all summer. I knew when we decided we'd both work all summer this would happen, but I think I underestimated how much I enjoy fighting, and how much I would miss it. Looking at the tail end of a lean War season is making me feel every chance to fight that went past and I *couldn't*. I don't know if that made sense to you people on the outside of my head, but it made sense to the ones in the inside of my head. :o)
Hugs, all... hang in there.
He lies awake nights wondering if there *is* a Dog.
Couldn’t sleep last night. I *wanted* to, I was tired (and oh boy, am I tired NOW) but I couldn’t find a position that didn’t make something or other ache. Back, neck, elbows, side… humph. I finally got up and took some Tylenol and that seemed to help.
I got to sleep pretty much about the time Paul’s alarm went off at 3 am. He left at 3:30 to drive to Michigan with someone he hardly knows, to pick up this guy’s stuff that his ex-girlfriend has but won’t ship to him (am I the only one who smells a soap opera coming on?)… I don’t know why the guy didn’t just go get it himself (too far maybe? Car not roadworthy?) or have her ship it to him COD. *shrugs* I’m sure Paul will write about it in his blog. They plan to be back late this afternoon.
Paul is off work this week, since it’s Pennsic, and we had planned to go this year. We decided several weeks ago that we didn’t want to afford it, so we aren’t there. Paul kept the week off on his schedule though, since he’s working weekends and hasn’t had a day off all summer. His plan aside from his current junket, is to relax, play computer games, and perhaps nap by the pool. Sounds like a great plan to me. Wish I was there, too. Next year.
Sunday August 21: Ben gets home
Wednesday, August 24: Dad has surgery (day surgery)
Tuesday, August 30: Mom’s cataract surgery
Thursday, September 1: Ben’s first day of high school; go to Chicago for haircuts
September 3,4,5: Last days of work at Bristol
Ben gets home on the 21st. He's all registered for high school, and, let me tell you, it's a pretty impressive school. Aside from being in very good condition, and having several theatres, it has an indoor swimming pool and a weight room. Because apparently US high schools compete heavily in swimming and American football, among other things. It's really weird to see what Ben will have at school, or to hear about Paul's school, and compare that to what I had where *I* went to school. I grew up in a relatively affluent neighbourhood, but no high school I'd ever heard of had a swimming pool. Though now that I think about it, the private school Les (my brother) went to may have.... I'm not sure.
Paul is working the Fair today, of course. It was his birthday Friday, and though the stated purpose wasn't to celebrate his birthday, we had a very nice meal at Balistreri's Bluemound Inn with Alasdair, Jenn, and Matt. It was good to see Alasdair and we got some issues talked through.
Yesterday the Fair was not as slow as it has been, but sales still weren't great. Paul did really well selling tights, though, and the weather wasn't as ghastly hot as it has been, so it was good.
Today I'm trying to get some things accomplished, but I'm not really feeling motivated. Laundry is doing, and some light cleaning, but that's about it. Coronation is looking less and less likely as gas prices are continuing to rise, and the impetus to get the new SCA outfit made has diminished along with it.
As it turns out, though (I just this moment got an email from Paul), we will be joining the Fair folk who are all going out for dinner tonight. They generally do that Sundays, but I was leaving it up to Paul whether we would go this week or not. So I'm going to hop in the shower, throw on some appropriate clothing, and head off to the Fair and to my husband.
Have a good day, all!
Missing My Boy: 17 more days. I’d say, “Not that I’m counting,” except I absolutely am. He called Monday evening to let us know they arrived safely. You can read a little about his trip in his blog… I’m going to be encouraging him to add a little more detail.
Seeing Jeff: was much less stressful than I had feared. We are friendly on the phone, and it was easy to be friendly face-to-face. He has aged a bit – more pronounced smile wrinkles around the eyes, grey in the hair, he’s added a few pounds… I felt less self-conscious facing him with all my extra weight because of it. And apparently he is now sponsoring one of Moudu’s cousins, since Sally got to be too old to sponsor.
Working at the Fair: is going ok. It’s a long hot day with too much standing on too hard a surface in shoes with too little support, but oddly enough it’s fun for all that. I think it’s the people more than anything else – I get to spend the day with Paul, which is a wonderful thing, Ginger is a lot of fun and an interesting person… the rest of the group there are all characters: interesting, intelligent, colourful… they are not your run-of-the-mill average folks. Much cooler than that.