Date: Mon, 15 Oct 2001 13:33:12 -0400

The two most frequent reactions I got to the news that we bought a
cat last week were "you have my condolences" and "you *bought* a cat?"
To some I suppose the announcement was like finding out that I've
done the dishes or cut my hair.  Well, I haven't done the dishes and
my hair isn't cut, but one of those two things will be remedied within
the next couple of weeks, just to prepare your systems for another
shocker.  Belle spent her first day under a cabinet and prefers to
hide under my grandmother's easy chair.  She is warming up to her
surroundings however, and has allowed some to cuddle her.

The last few weeks for me at work have been particularly stressful. 
Nothing new to anyone; we all go through times at work that pressure
us more than at other times.  The indicator for me is that I brought
my laptop home a few nights and over the weekend.  To my credit, I
warmed the computer up over the weekend but took any excuse to push
off the work until Monday morning.  Rich Gonzalez was the first to
distract me on Friday night for a road trip while Joy was off to
another Ternderheart party and the kids were at the church gym night.
We also did a road trip the next morning to Westminster to pick up
a $200 Jeep that Rich was going to use as parts for his "heep".  He
wound up selling it to his sister-in-law just a couple of hours later
because (a) it ran and (b) they needed it more than he did.

Meanwhile Joy went back to the church Saturday morning for a Children's
Christmas musical rehearsal, and the kids (Mandy, Emily, and Andrew) were
off at a quiz meet somewhere.  When Joy got home, we did some household
chores and repairs for the few hours we had before heading back to the
church for the Adult Christmas musical rehearsal. Hmmm...

On Sunday, my parents, my Aunt Ruth and Uncle Ken (from Texas), my
brother John and his family (sans Jr.), came to the Manor for a cookout.
Getting out the car, my uncle called me a sissy and then added that 
it is what my grandfather would say if he saw my long hair.  I replied
that he must be rolling over because I was wearing his tie clasp and
I tell people that my Aunt removed this from his body before the
casket was closed and lowered into the ground.  (True story.)

My Aunt and Uncle are enjoying the New England foliage, which is at 
its peak color right now in our area.  Uncle Ken said that he was
even enjoying the gray skies and cool drizzle of the day, coming from
hot and monotonous Texas (said he). The visit was all-too-brief but
nonetheless very good to have them for even a few hours.  Belle decided
that there were far-too-many people to deal with an hid under a hutch
in the barn.

Pie and cookies with friends at the Chronopolous home after evening
service made for a nice cap to the weekend.  When we got home, I packed
away my laptop, somewhat satisfied that I had not used it for anything
but uploading the weekend photos.  The work was here for me this morning
and I was better for it by coming to it fresh.

Mark

P.S. Happy birthday, Brenda! (tomorrow)
-- 
+---_-----------+ Mark Metcalfe, metcalfe@cadence.com
| c a d e n c e | Cadence Design Systems, Inc.    Phone: (978) 446-6451
+---------------+ PCB Systems Division, Technical Communications Manager