Subject: Weekend Update: August 17-19 2002
Date: Mon, 19 Aug 2002 15:32:31 -0400

I suppose that my air conditioned work environment skews my
perception but I have enjoyed the fact that New England has
had numerous days in the 90-degree plus range.  Winters are
too long and cold for me to begrudge a long, hot summer.
This weekend was one where I was able to kick back and
slow down a bit.  I didn't get behind the wheel at all on
Saturday.  All I did was prune the yukkas and grape vines.
In fact, I left most of the trimmings right by the bushes;
after all, it was hot and humid!  More and more crops are
becoming ripe: peaches, blackberries, corn, and some types
of vegetables that I don't bother to remember.  Our garden
pathways are overrun by one vine or another.

Our pool has gotten more use in the past few weeks.  Some
are realizing that summer is almost gone and chances to
dip in are diminishing.  School looms closer than any of
us want to admit.  Today is Miranda's orientation as a
new teacher in the Tyngsboro elementary school system.
Jessica goes back to ENC next week ahead of the in-bound
freshmen to set up things at the college library.  Visits
are increasing to the stores for school supplies and clothes.

Jessica turns 20 today (8/19). She was our biggest baby at
9lbs. 2oz. So now we have two forties, two twenties and two
teens.  Jessica's beau flew back home to Virginia last
Wednesday for a couple of weeks before returning to school.

Rich and Wendy brought their girls by on Saturday.  It was
fun to watch how a gathering of girls soon formed into a
toenail painting sorority party.  Mandy and Jess had earlier
colored their nails but they Mandy didn't like her color.
Girl conversation turned into coloring party and soon seventy
toes were held aloft and dabbled with color.  The sorority
included Wendy, Katia, Thalia, Joy, Miranda, Jessica,
Emily, and my mother!  Rich and I had several offers to
have our toenails painted but they didn't have our color
and so we had to decline.

Joy bought "The Lord of the Rings" on DVD, so we watched
it on Saturday night.  My mother and father thought that
it made more sense the second time around.  They had seen it
in the theater and if they had read the books, they did so
many years ago.  Miranda is in the process of reading
"The Fellowship of the Ring" and purposely excused herself
to go to the coffee house that evening so she could finish
the book before she saw the movie.  (She'll be disappointed
in neither because both are very well-done.)  While we watched
the movie, Emily entertained some local friends in the pool
for a good portion of the evening hours.

On Sunday afternoon, we picked corn from our own garden; the
first year that we've grown full-sized ears successfully.
It was out-of-this-world delicious because there was only
5 minutes from picking to pot.  Lorraine and Susan, Coleen,
Jeff, Patrick, and Tom joined us Sunday afternoon to cool
off in the water. 

After evening church, we paid our respects to Cheryl Conlin,
whose father was being waked at a local funeral parlor.  I wasn't
sure I was in the right place until I saw Tom, Jr.  It made me
wonder what it would be like to walk into different wakes where
nobody knew whether I knew the deceased, since I didn't know
Cheryl's father; only Cheryl and her kids.  Afterward, Joy and
I joined the Hamlins at Kimballs Farm for some ice cream to cap
off a leisurely weekend.

Mom and Dad continue to join us on most weekends. The kids,
Joy, and I really enjoy our weekly visits. I like the fact
that mom and dad get to interact with my children and
they with them. ("Intergenerational interaction.") It is good!
We think that dad's assignment has given us a rare privilege
and we are thankful for the opportunity.

Mark