On the East coast, the seasons each have their own character. "How's your summer?" is a standard greeting, unheard of in California. This summer has been humid, and, after the rainy spring, everything is powerfully green. A green also unheard of in California. I quite like it.
The bugs congregate around our outside lamp--grasshoppers and several dozen different sizes, shapes, and colors of moths, and various smaller buzzing and humming things. Life is bursting out. The birds aren't at the feeder much--to much out there to eat, I suppose. Driving home last week we spotted a baby skunk entering the weeds at the side of the road as we approached in the car. Several deer have been seen, and, a rarity this far south, a moose has apparently visited the town.
But yesterday, when I was at work, Diana and the boys were thrilled to see a whole family of wild turkeys in the back yard--mommy, daddy, and six babies. They stayed for a half hour or so, eagerly viewed the whole time.
Diana's treatment is drawing to a close--she is 3/4 through the chemo, and has completed the radiation. Mid September will be the last infusion. And a month later, or so, she will be cleared for us to finally take our honeymoon. We may well end up going to a friend's wedding in Hawaii.
We have taken in a stray--a boy, not a dog. "His stepmother kicked him out of the house..." Looks enough like Eson to be his brother, except that he seems depressed and rarely smiles. It brought back memories--when my stepdaughter was a senior in high school, we ended with two of her friends living with us for most of the year. I thought hard about that experience in the last few days, and decided that our hands-off approach really didn't do those two young ladies any favors. It postponed their making some touch choices and facing some parts of themselves that were not too pleasant.
So I said to Diana that I was happy to give the lad some space, but I wanted him to be actively working to address the issues in his life. I wanted him to get his depression and ADD treated. I wanted him to make some plans for his life, be it to get a job or go to college. I said that in my experience there were two sides to every story, and we should reserve judgment until we hear from the parents. I probably sounded pretty pontifical, thinking back on it.
Well, today Diana heard "the rest of the story." Turns out the kid was thrown out because he stole $12,000 from his stepmother to buy drugs. And was caught with drugs, and has a record. So Diana is rethinking the whole business. It does appear that the kid is clean now, and Eson seems to have a healthy aversion to drugs. But it does make us think...
And my pontifications have been dusted off and taken seriously. We will have a talk with him soon--I hope he rises to the occasion...
Meanwhile, I am caught up in doing my much belated income tax, refinancing my house, and looking to start some construction on the house soon. Work, where many people are on vacation and the pace is easier than recently. And enjoy the hot, steamy summer from my air-conditioned house. How's my summer? Pretty good, actually! And yours?
Thank you for reading.
Copyright © 2001-2003 Pete Stevens. All rights reserved.
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