P-Trap Crap! Ecccccch!
The dogs woke up before me. That's just what they do. They shuffle. I shuffle. They shuffle closer. It's understandable because the pattern is such that their shuffling and increased movement towards me typically results in what they perceive as them pushing me out of the bed and into the kitchen, where there are vittles. Vittles are vital. After getting them fed, I contacted my friend and neighbor on Howes Ct, Mark, to coordinate the first of what I hope to be a series of weekly morning visits.("Howes your coffee talk"). I rode my bike over. It was a great way to start the morning. I'm super excited because, in the process of all sorts of assorted conversations, we touched on the Stanford theater and my recent weeks of attending the film noir film festival. I shared that the new schedule included "The Wizard of Oz" for two weekends, including the day after Thanksgiving. It's Olivia's favorite movie. They've never been to that theater. It's always a joy to introduce somebody to that experience, and we now have it on the calendar with the Priests, too. One thing I recognize as I age, beyond the fact that my first stop when visiting my mom's is the bathroom instead of the kitchen, is the value of having friends. Mark nearby for bike rides and the weekly walk to meet Johnathon for coffee are just a few examples. My journal's full of them. GNO's. Text exchanges with Matt C. Daily movie trivia with Matt B. Cardz online. All of these experiences, interactions, and subtle connections are so significant in creating and establishing gratitude just for "being". It's all happening in real-time and worthy of recognition in real-time. I mentioned the aspects of reflecting on memories the other day. Well, I recognize them as they're made. There's wonderfulness found in appreciating the creation of what will be a memory just as there is in reflecting on it later, once it is. This was the case with my walk to LeLe and a visit with JS, and we're committed to including BL in the invitations after today. Once back home, I took the oft-delayed step to start clearing and cleaning the backyard for the onslaught of fall. The recent rain made me realize it was time. I started slow, finding a place for cushions, and continued for quite a while, over an hour, maybe close to two, blowing, raking, and filling a green waste cart with leaves, needles, and assorted organics, with donations from the dogs here and there. The leaf blower worked wonders, and things look great out there again. The trees, however, haven't started to drop leaves in mass, and when they do, I'll have to go back out there again. And again, and again. It's an excellent way to feel connected to nature and listen to music. The new David Gilmour is quite good, quite Floydian. I also cleaned the gutters, covered the firepit, and played sporadically with Lucky as I did it all. I was wiped out yet still in the groove to get things done, so I took on the bathroom sink p-trap triage task. WTF was built up in there? I'll never know, really don't want to, but it's cleared and cleaned now and will hopefully make a difference. Jen and I had dinner with my mom, Costco Chicken Pot Pie, and a great time talking. She was in good form, and I enjoyed a rather spirited debate about her original thoughts. I'm grateful she's so lucid and sharp; it will be something I'll miss dearly someday. Back home, I made a quick Costco run with Tommy, and he shared a few thoughts that made me feel optimistic about his maturing and self-examination. He's got a lot to work through regarding his upbringing and emotions, and I hope I can be supportive and part of the solution, even when I have a role in the problem. Sigh. Parenting is an ongoing learning experience.