comings and goings

~ Harry leaves tonight for Philly. I'm sort of glad we decided against going along with him earlier in the summer with the current state of events being what they are. He'll be back in a week, but these trips always seem about three days too long.

~ Ken and D.J. will be here tomorrow to start their yearly sabbatical. For the second year we have a place where they can shut the door and call the space their own. This year, it won't even feel like they are camping, because the guest room has furniture. I hope they love it.

~ Neil has left for the last time before he starts back to college for his last semester. It has been interesting having him ghosting in and out of the house all summer - not a guest, but never quite at home. I hear he is used to a more formal atmosphere. He may be back to help me with a project late next week for a day or two, but just as likely he'll be busy with one of his three jobs, the song cycle he is feverishly composing, moving back on campus, and starting classes.

~ Most of the job applications Meredith has sent out seem to be for jobs outside of the Springfield area - specifically back in Chicago. Quickly she has forgotten how she came to dearly loathe life in the City. All of the myriad daily stresses that it took months last winter to wash out of her psyche, and such a short time later she is willing to chuck it all and jump back into the fray. For what - money? excitement? - infatuation? No sense trying to reason with her, she'll have to learn this one again, on her own. No matter what I said, I'd be wrong.

~ I'm not going very far right now. I have some sort of - something - wrong with my left foot. It seems to be healing, but it's slowing me down. foo.

~M.E.