Day 12 and Beyond: Good Times

"These are the days..."

--Natalie Merchant

The race is on.  From now until next Thursday, I will attempt to accomplish all of the things I wanted to do in the past 2 weeks or need to get done in the following 2 weeks.  I am a laundry-load-running, toy-tidying, thank-you-note-writing, back-to-school-shoes-for-Judah shopping, pancake-making, book-reading, movie-watching, granite/paint/new sink/faucet/cabinet hardware-choosing, blog-posting machine.  I will squeeze as much life as possible out of each 24 hour segment that remains between now and September 9.

On Friday, my baby brother, who is not only now an adult, but also a husband (sorry, Julia, I still find it hard to wrap my head around) flew in from California.  Since then (and after a trip to have a new string put onto my guitar), our evenings have included private guitar concerts and sing-a-longs as Uncle Eli delights Judah with his rock star skills.  It's been wonderful to spend time with him (we do get along now), especially as Stand Up 2 Cancer (his employer) approaches their second live show (yes, this is a plug, and yes, you all should be watching on September 10 at 8 pm on almost any given network) and I'm guessing it's crunch time back in LA.  I was fortunate enough to have been at the first live telethon 2 years ago and I would so be there again next week if it wasn't for that durn chemo I am scheduled to have the day before.  This year, I'll be watching from my chaise.

Definitely did not expect to find an iPad in this box.

Eli's not the only great thing that arrived on Friday.  My brand spanking new (surprise) iPad arrived, too!  Wahoo!  Ever since then, I've been an iPad fiend, exploring the apps, reading samples of all of the NYT bestsellers, and I am anxiously awaiting the purple case and screen protectors I ordered for it, so Judah can also use the internet on his own (a touch screen requires much less eye-hand coordination than the touch pad mouse of a laptop).  SO fun!

So Eli being here has been great, getting past the Day 7-10 hump, and enjoying my new tech toy also terrific.  However, this afternoon, the icing on the cake rang my doorbell at approximately 2:15 pm.  A township police officer stopped by (I would've taken his picture but I was rendered speechless by his presence alone and simply lost the ability to think straight when I heard what he had to say).  He held a letter in his hand, my letter to the high school administration as well as my township ward commissioner regarding the disturbance of the peace (um, the marching band practicing in my front yard) and how it went against municipal code of LAW, bay-beeee!  And what he had to say was... the drummers who practice in the front of the building will now be practicing in the stadium field!!

Now that I'm thinking about it, he did not mention anything about the location of the full band practice changing, but he did give me his business card and tell me to call him directly should I have any further trouble.

Oh my sweet heavens, my heart is singing, and I am happy today.  The officer's presence even tempts me to ask the ultimate question:  How Do You Like Me Now, B*%#$@es??  (Was that wrong?  Did I take it too far?  Perhaps, but we'll have to see how things go 'round my next Day 7 and if my peace is again disturbed, I stand by my expletive.  And I will be giving Officer G. a call.)

Because I'm in such a happy mood, I will save yesterday's more aggravating story of dealing with my employer (we'll call them the School District of Enfuriousity) for tomorrow.  For at this moment, I hope you can feel my exhiliration through your computer screen and take at least a small amount of pleasure in my victory over some 15 year olds with drumsticks. 

xxoo