Friday, May 2, 2008. After our son came home from school, he and I set off for The Red River Valley of the North, to visit grandpa, and get some moving done. Also, for me to spend time with our son and #2 daughter.
There was a stiff wind, so our son and I caught up on several semis on the way. One of them Looked like it had a cab on both ends.
Our son and I talked most of the way from Sauk Centre to Moorhead. I don't remember about what, but it was a good time.
We picked up #2 daughter in Moorhead. Also all the stuff that was in her dorm room. It took a while to load it in the van. It took a while for her and our son to get everything transferred and for her to get the paperwork done, but she made it out with several minutes to spare.
While helping, mostly by staying out of the way, I noticed a sign on the dorm hall wall. Apparently, about $5,000 worth of tableware has been stolen from the food service this way. The sign pointed out that there were options: return the stuff, or have tuition increases next year.
I don't know how many knives, forks, and plates it takes to add up to $5,000 these days, but my guess is that it's not a trivial number. A few light-fingered people in a community are par for the course, but this seemed a bit special. Particularly since the students involved were stealing from an institution that would be passing the costs back to them. Not smart. As I said to #2 daughter: "This bunch of klepto nincompoops are tomorrow's leaders?!"
#2 daughter followed us in her car up to the farm. We unpacked, then talked. Mostly about music. Sara remembered the lyrics to several country songs. Country music certainly has changed in the half-century I've been aware of it.
Saturday, May 3, 2008. I woke up, talked with our son and #2 daughter. Our son had found old PC World Magazines, and was skimming them to find the ones that he'd bring back. He has limited storage space, and has to be selective.
Our son and #2 daughter had the farmstead's computer, keyboard, mouse and external hard drive out and packed by the time I got downstairs.
#2 daughter packed her 'new' car, then the three of us went for a walk in the woods. A couple of access paths have been cut through the old timber claim, making it easier to clear fallen trees and brush out. They also make excellent walking paths.
There are a lot of memories in that house. It was good to be there again.
Our son and I went to church at what we call the "Lima bean church" (St. Rose of Lima) in Hillsboro. Meanwhile, #2 daughter fixed supper. The three of us ate supper and started watching "Kindergarten Cop" - a good show. While we were watching, a moderately nonchalant mouse trotted unobtrusively out from behind the couch, behind the television, then across the kitchen to the hallway.
Trotting, not running.
Later in the evening, #2 daughter and I talked over details of a sort of 'fan fic' she's doing. (fan fic - story written by a fan of a television series or movie, using characters and settings from the original in new plots)
#2 daughter's fan fic is set in "Babylon 5," a series we're both familiar with. When we were done, she told me that I helped, bless her.
Sunday, May 4, 2008. Our son and #2 daughter packed the van, then we went to see Dad / Grandpa Gill. He was asleep, so I took photos of birds. He was still sleeping after that, which gave us an opportunity to get lunch back at the farmstead.
The three of us named three of the birds while I took photos. The professor and the truck driver would have looked more like their namesakes in a video. The professor was chewing on something too small to see, so that bird seemed to be continually talking. The truck driver was chewing, too, on a longer bit of stuff - it looked like a toothpick in the bird's beak. I see it didn't show up in the photo, though.
Back at the farm, we collected papers to take back to Sauk Centre 'for analysis,' and went into town again. This time Dad/Grandpa Gill was awake. We had a good talk.
Later, headed for Sauk Centre on the Interstate, our son said that he liked talking to Grandpa Gill, because 'Grandpa Gill has such a library in knowledge in his head.' I remember Dad telling me that he'd pick a book from the shelves when he took a turn at the reference desk, to have something to read when students weren't asking questions. That sort of thing adds up after a while.
I spotted a different sort of vanity license plate, between Moorhead and Fergus Falls. It said, "NEENER."
Monday, May 5, 2008. Back in Sauk Centre, it was daily routines for me: plus catching up on Web-related stuff that didn't get done over the weekend; and getting that bulletin that I edit ready for printing.
Tuesday, May 6, 2008. More of the same, more or less.
Wednesday, May 7, 2008. I got the bulletin to the printers this morning, which was a relief. The rest of the week is a bit fuzzy.
For that matter, the next week was a bit fuzzy, too. I know I was getting tasks done - I've been keeping running notes of business-related activities. I do remember feeling a little frazzled. I felt good, but frazzled.
Stumble it
No comments:
Post a Comment