From:	Mark Metcalfe
Sent:	Monday, June 09, 2003 1:10 PM
To:	Mark Metcalfe
Subject:	Weekend Update: June 3-8, 2003
Richard hitched a wagon to his van last Tuesday so that he
could help me transport a couch, table and TV to Quincy. Joy
came along to help set up the new apartment.  We stopped for
dinner along the way to let Boston traffic ease its rush hour
congestion.  Our used sleeper couch came down from our loft.
Sleeper couches are heavy, and big but we managed well with
Rich's help.  I have to get my moving muscles ready because
the Magnusons move to Pepperell at the end of the month, and
the Gonzalez' move out of Pepperell just a few weeks later.

On the other end of the trip, the couch wouldn't fit in the
elevator at the married student apartments.  That meant lugging
it up to the third floor through the stairwells; Rich, myself,
David, and Jess put our backs into it. The doorway was the
final obstacle but we didn't come so far to give up. With some
creative and obtuse manipulation, we were able to get it in.
I told David that the couch never comes back to Pepperell.
The apartment still has a few sticks of furniture to go, when
schedules allow, but it was very exciting to set up a place you
know is going to be a first home. I shall miss having a second
TV in the barn where we played video games and watched TV at the
same time, but I am glad we were able to "store" it for them
for seven months before the wedding.  

Miranda and Emily were the first ones to voluntarily get into
the pool this year for a couple of laps on Friday.  Our weather
has been uncooperative for summer activities, but we get as much
work done outdoors between raindrops as we can.  Joy finished
painting the shed, left unfinished since last Fall.  She also
repainted the pickets.  We haven't needed to water the new 
grass out by the basketball court.

We started in again the next morning with outdoor maintenance.
Rain breezed into town six hours earlier than expected and drove
us indoors by noon.  On the indoor front, Miranda is pressing on
with her wall mural but came on an artist's block over some apple
trees.  I suggested that we take a break and get some Slurpees.
(Emily missed out because she was helping her local church group
with their yard sale.) We also picked up some more wedding-related
things while we were out. The Slurpees provided the necessary break
and refreshment, and Miranda was back on her scaffold later that
afternoon.  I set about finishing up several DVDs for Joy's
relatives to be ready when they arrive for the wedding.

On Sunday afternoon, we, and about half the church, attended
a cookout celebration for Mark Douglas, Valedictorian of his
class and firstborn son of Allan and Harriett.  I told Harriett
that I cried the night before my firstborn went off to college.
She shared some of the separation struggles that the family
had gone through but that they are facing the change.  Similarly,
and in another conversation, I said that I am looking forward to
getting old considering the alternative and that each new phase
in life is just "our turn" to experience.

People have asked me if I'll cry at the wedding.  I don't know.
I don't think so because I've done my bit in putting together
the slide show with the pictures of the kids growing up.  It
has been a great trip and I've loved it all.  Now, there is
something different about to happen and that is really exciting.
I tell people that I have very happy for Jess and David; he is a
good man and I believe that he will treat were right and that
they truly love each other.  How can I do anything but celebrate?
We'll be there if they need us, and I hope they'll want us from
time to time, too.  This is their time, and their new home.

Mark