True Welcome

Our brightest blazes of gladness are commonly kindled by unexpected sparks.
-- Samuel Johnson

Monday, September 24, 2001
One year ago: American Movie
Three years ago: New Building
Four years ago: Service Rendered

This batch of entries starts here -- don't miss out on dancing, the Puyallup Fair, and Jack wondering if I'm angry at him.

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When I was at my Capitol Hill place today, after several days away, I remembered to gather up some stuff I've been wanting in West Seattle. I've needed the lid to my wok, and we are short on bowls. I also brought back my DVD set of Ken Burns' Jazz.

For dinner I tried a frozen "gourmet" lo-mein dish. Hmmph. Not much flavor, but it was edible. I could make my own just as easily, with a bottled stir-fry sauce, frozen shrimp or other meat, and lo-mein noodles from the grocery store refrige case.

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I drove H---- to her Civil Air Patrol meeting, after she figured out that it was indeed scheduled at six forty five, not seven forty five. "What hour is eighteen hundred hours, again?" Jack was in the passenger seat.

The Air National Guard facility is near Boeing Field, in a part of Seattle that's all industrial and warehouses and such. D'oh! The gate was locked. No meeting again! Argh!

On the way home we all stopped at Home Depot. H--- wasn't sure if someone was being polite, or mocking her, when he saluted her. She was very cute in her uniform, but I hope the man was sincere.

When we got home, I coached H---- in writing an email message to the commander of her unit, asking about how to be notified of these schedule changes. I think that's a perfectly legitimate request.

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Jack is making great strides in the basement! But he's torn, because he also wants to work on our business stuff. Both this evening and last night, he worked late, not wanting to stop once he's in the zone. But decluttering and organizing is like dieting; one doesn't get into the mess overnight, so it will take more than one day to get out of it. He's happy to be finding stuff, and is actually getting rid of some things, too!

I got Jack's laptop going as a DVD player attached to the TV, so I could watch some of Jazz. I've had the set for a while and haven't watched it all yet! I watched the fourth episode, "The True Welcome", which features lindy hoppers Norma Miller and Frankie Manning. What marvelous folks! Their magnetism comes right through the screen.