I’m writing a bit earlier than usual tonight. M and the kids are off at the city pool, although they could be back at any second, so I thought I’d write now rather than watch tv or screw around on the net. I want to rise early tomorrow, maybe around five, and reach work by seven. Maybe I’ll meditate beforehand. I feel as if my discipline is slipping.
Today was a good day. I woke by seven. T and S were already up, watching tv and eating breakfast, so I quickly took them out into the back field for some baseball. T was asked play “up” a league for a tournament this weekend, so he’s been into practicing more than usual. His catching has definitely improved, to the point where he’s almost automatic, and his batting isn’t half-bad either. After eight I cut the back grass, although I was slightly concerned that I might wake some neighbors. Oh well, what the hell, they’re not shy about running their power tools or whatever early in the morning, so ten minutes on the lawn shouldn’t have hurt. The grass was pretty long, too, and I couldn’t look at the back yard without noticing. After cutting the lawn I showered and read some of the paper. The boys have taken over the dining room table with “Heroscape”, so I ate on the kitchen island. I didn’t want the boys hanging out inside all morning, so on a lark M and I took everyone down to the harbor for lemonade. I ran into a neighbor in the coffee shop, so he and I talked for a while. He’s a good guy with the rare ability to talk more than me. After we split the coffee shop we walked around the harbor. The skies were bright, tourists, were everywhere, and I was reminded of how beautiful our town can in the summer. Now, come February, no one’s going to be in the harbor park, trust me, but on a bright July Sunday, you can’t lose with a harbor walk.
M agreed to watch a couple neighbor girls for the afternoon. The girls, lovely little things, played in back with the boys while I alternated between the Brewers and Cubs games. The girls are Cubs fans, unfortunately, and my efforts to indoctrinate them otherwise failed. The Brew won, at least, but so did the Cubs. After the game I rode my bike south ten miles or so, twenty miles round trip. The weather was close to perfect for a bike ride, although the wind was slightly too strong on the way down for my liking.
Sidebar…last night I met the Russian (I think he’s Russian) guy who re-opened up the liquor store on the main road not far from here. He put in a gorgeous new floor, knocked out walls, etc., but I have no goddamn idea how he’s going to make enough money to survive. You hardly notice the store when you drive past, and there is a gas station that stocks beer about half a mile down the road. Poor bastard. I hereby swear to buy all my alcohol from him for the foreseeable future. His name is Vlad.
I have been reading a lot of Jonathan Lethem. Ok, perhaps I’ll meditate a bit now. Good night. I felt fortunate to be alive today.