I keep a bucket out back for hauling gardening stuff and I noticed this morning that it's completely full of water. In the past several weeks we have gotten about 7 inches of water. Yikes. Now I will keep the rainwater because it's great for watering my plants but the sight of all that water freaks me out a bit. It hearkens back to the big floods of 2009..
Life is very slow these days, but that's a good thing.
Michael's last week of classes for the term is next week, and I spent a good deal of time helping him yesterday with end of term projects. One of them is a speech about Kazakhstan. "I guess I really should read up on the country, since I was born there." Well, yes, son. It's not just about yurts and horses. There is a lot to absorb. It's the 9th largest country in the world and has a fascinating history.
He is anxious about his 2 classes and hates that I have to help him, but as I see it, the fact he is living at home his freshman year is OK. I told him, truthfully, when I started college a senior roommate was crucial in making me study and learn how to organize my time. Accepting help is OK. Learning how to be a good student is just part of life. He hates homework and studying but he's smart enough so that he can make good grades with very little effort. He says he doesn't always understand what he reads. I told him that's true of all college students. If you understood everything perfectly there would be no learning going on. He hasn't made any new friends among his college classmates but that will come in time.
Still trying to picture Thanksgiving next week. I bought steaks yesterday. Nothing says holidays like good steaks -- in my house.
I had to run errands yesterday at 3:30 and I was horrified by the traffic. Then I realized it's the Friday before Thanksgiving, duh, and a lot of folks are likely taking next week off, the whole week. So the usual Friday traffic nightmare is even worse than usual.
I am so glad we are not going anywhere next week.
To those who are curious, no, I haven't heard from my daughter. I seriously doubt I will hear from her or see her over the holidays. I last talked to her about 4 months ago, and I have no way to contact her. I wish things were different but they aren't, and I just pray for her these days.
A lot of mental energy has been expended lately praying for folks. I have an uncle who has been dealing with some medical issues that are troubling. Mother has been pretty upset about that but we've gotten great daily updates and prayers are still going up. I have a dear friend who is going through a life crisis and there's little I can do to help, but I pray she forges ahead on a new path without fear. Re-thinking your life when you're in your 50's is tough going.
I am still getting job alerts emailed to me and I read a description of a job the other day that is my ultimate dream job. It's interviewing people for magazine profiles, and writing several long profiles a month. Interviewing people and writing is my idea of heaven, particularly interesting people - athletes, entrepreneurs, entertainers. I started the Twenty Questions section of this blog for the specific reason that it's fun to interview people and learn what they do. My interview with Nathaniel Lande is my favorite one ever.
I tell my son that education is not something that starts and ends with school. Education is a lifelong process. I love learning about people - what other subject is more fascinating?!
