Wednesday, January 20, 2016

Back to Work

It was great having a three day weekend! I got a lot of stuff done including dropping a load of books at the VA straightening up here. However, work has to be done and I I'm delighted to discover that I like my coworkers as people. I am Not sure that I've had that experience to this extent ever. Part of it maybe this time I have learned how to make conversation draw people out, part of it may just be the atmosphere of the place. Doesn't matter?
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Late last week Kris forwarded something to me from WSPA, and added the comment "How are things?"
I have gone all year (2016) without initiating conversation with her, but to reply to this seems to be different - it would politely responding to a query. So I wrote back saying that I was fine and asking how was Michelle, the cat that Kris took with her. Today Kris wrote back saying Michelle liked being an only cat and has lost a little weight. I think that ends the conversation since she did not ask you further questions, then I suppose that's fine. I have a happy little family here and that's enough. 
EDITTED: the first version of the above was more than usually incoherent, as it was the result of my blogging on my cellphone using speech-to-text, and then not copyediting. It may have alarmed a family member who asked me if I was all right - I am, I am in fact better than in a long time, albeit regretful that things didn't work out, but happy - and wiser about blogging!

Tuesday, January 19, 2016

Not Shiftless

Monday, when coming back from the store, Kiara brought up the possibility of learning to drive the stick. It's time, I figured; I had worried about the difficult time I'd had teaching Sherry and teaching Mila, and while it is necessary that Kiara be able to drive my car, I was not looking forward to it.
I pulled into a small park off 8th. It's not really ideal, but it was a start. And it turns out that there is really no problem; she killed the engine only once and panicked not at all. Perhaps her physical coordination is superior due to all that dancing, or perhaps she's just more accustomed to reacting to strange situations thoughtfully  .... for all her outward flightiness, she shows a lot of inside thinking. ... and perhaps at age 60 I am just better at staying calm and saying one or two words.
After all, the only words that really matter in this situation are "clutch" and "good"!