Notes from the road
I so haven't had anything to say since Ashley's funeral and haven't quite managed to make it home either. I've been working very long hours starting way too early in the morning on a special project (*ahem*) out of town (a few details here) since Monday before last for ye olde KnockingShitDownCo. The fun just never stops. (Those of you who've clicked the details link, perhaps are seeing Sophmom wink.)
Anyway, so many of the NOLA bloggers wrote so eloquently about Ashley, his larger than life, his beautiful family and his amazing funeral and wake that I can't possibly do it all justice. However, the always insightful Greg Peters of Suspect Device fame has said it perfectly right here. Please. Go. Now. Read. Follow his links (okay, please follow his links). Pics are here. If that's not more than anyone can bear, Ashley's wife, Hana, has taken to keeping up his blog, and has now invited a whole mess o' bloggers to her birthday party this Sunday.
As for life going on, there was a cookout with Dangerblond and Hana and the kids. Then last weekend was dinner out Friday and Saturday, making Sunday a true day of rest. This weekend there will be Jazzfest. Next weekend there will be Jazzfest. Weekend after that, there will be graduation (and in case you're the one person on earth I forgot to tell, that graduation will be cum laude *proud mama puffs out chest* - okay, stop it with the big boob jokes in the peanut gallery, please). I guess, after that, I'll be ready to go home, if I can still call it that.
In the meantime, I'm sitting on the side of the road in a well-wired "office" (read: rented Toyota), counting trucks and keeping a small army of independent haulers honest (and one boss man who's about to lose it, hopefully, on his best behavior and out of prison). Scroll down and you'll see my silly thoughts as they come to me (a/k/a "tweets"), let loose on Twitter, in my gutter, well hidden under my profile link. So.... Capt., Paula, John, Catty, Glenda, Fool, John-Ward, Mary, Kevin, Lisa (I know I'm forgetting somebody, my sweet wonderful regular commenters); y'all keep keeping the light on for me, please. I promise I'll be back (good lord willin' and the creek don't rise 'n' all that). I may never get caught up, but I swear I'll pick up where I left off.
Peace. Out. Y'all.
The light's on, and we'll pull out the extra mattress if needed. ;)
We are patient. See you soon.
Stay safe, sending you love and good wishes.
Will keep the lights on but dimmed, after all there is an energy crisis. :)
John, I did get caught up reading your blog last night. Lots of exciting
stuff going on in your life, isn't there? And, Catty, aren't you the
gadabout, zipping off to AZ and all that. Yes, M'am, Mary. Dim those
lights. We should all be conserving!
I'm keeping busy, that's for sure, though I'll probably look back at this
as a period of tranquility when we get around to moving and marrying.
SophMom, this is your way of mourning and expressing your sorrow. There
ain't nothing wrong with that. Celebrate his life. When a love one dies
it can often be a life changing experience for the one who survives. Wish
you peace!
John, I'm not sure when y'all are moving and when the wedding is, relative
to the move but, fact is, that this is just plain gonna be chaotic. I wish
I could tell you you'll look back on it fondly, but my experience is that
you'll look back on it and it'll all be a blur. The fun will start when
y'all settle down into your new (old, new again, but different this time
and all that) life. It's all a great ride, these times of Big Change.
We don't know yet when we'll be moving either, but our best guess is that
it will be right at the border of June and July, with our wedding following
on July 12. The only good news is that the move brings us closer (just a
few hours away) to our wedding site, as well as closer (just a few
minutes away) to several of my groomsmen and our officiants.
Wow, does Sophmom ever get a break? At least you got to spend time in NOLA
w/ friends, even if the passing of Dr. Ashley is going to remain over the
city for a long time to come. You're making me feel guilty for having gone
months w/out posting, with no concrete explanation. Glad to know that your
son is graduating, best of luck to him. BTW, the incident I had mentioned
re: South Carolina, in a comment re: Paula Reed's blog, had to do with the
high school senior who planned to blow up his school, it's been on the news
the last few days. Here's hoping that you'll be sitting in your own house
soon, with nary a care in the world (1 can hope, right!) Anyway, safe
journey home!