On Tuesday afternoon I have a phone call with Person N_V as we arrange for him to pick up the last of his belongings. It is agreed that I'll leave his 6 boxes, bookshelves, microwave, skiis, and vaccum in the driveway (behind the gate) so that he can pick them up on Wednesday morning when he has the truck. During the conversation I mention that the coming Monday will be the one year anniversary from when we first met. We both laugh, but I cannot tell if his laughter has a tone of laughter and sadness or a tone of "I can't believe that you remember the date" in it. Later on Tuesday I put Person N_V's belongings in the designated place and rush off to a ResourceScout meeting.
On Wednesday night, after a good session with the weights, Person C_T comes over. We have a nice visit and we finally end the evening watching some mindless television before Person C_T has to leave for the evening.
On Thursday night I'm getting ready to put the car away by opening the garage door. I hear a large ka-blam-oh and pretty soon the garage door is at a 45 degree angle in two planes from where it should be. I'm startled and take a quick jump back, but then I realize that the door may fall more and I have to get the motorcycle out of the garage and away from the hanging door. (This is a two car 50 year old solid wood door, by the way.) The door has come to rest 6 inches from the motorcycle and I wedge myself between the door and the bike and manage to get the bike out of harm's way. I am so lucky that the door did not fall on the bike and that the car was outside the garage when this happened or there would have been some serious damage (and serious tears). For the evening I stay away from the door and let it rest at it's 45 degree angle in two planes.
Friday is a very productive day away from Northrop Grumman. I get out for the almost 30 mile loop ride, talk with garage door salesman, absoultely muscle the garage door back into a semi-closed position (Wow - that solid wood two car garage door is heavy!), send out CD's of Czech and Slovak Republic pictures, pull all of the building permits on my house since the day it was built (at Long Beach city hall's building and permit department), pull up more carpet and tacks, get my hair cut, lift weights, and cut up more logs for winter-time firewood. After a shower and dinner I relax in the cool weather.
On Saturday I get out for the aquarium bicycle ride, do the laundry, do some shopping, then relax prior to Person C_T coming to visit. After initial activities we go have Thai food for dinner and Krispy Kreme donuts for desert and rent "Cold Mountain". Though it is late, I actually enjoy the movie. At the end of the movie Person C_T and I both have a headache and we can't decide what was the cause: 1) the Thai food, 2) the Krispy Kreme donuts, or 3) the movie. Near midnight Person C_T is heading for home and I'm dropping off for sleep.
On Sunday morning I go for a long walk during which I visit two different grocery stores, read the newspaper, get out for another aquarium bicycle ride, watch the motorcycle race from Qatar, and then get out skating. This being the first time I've skated for about a month and the first time on the rotated wheels. The skates are fairly unstable to start with as the skates want to flail off in any which direction. But by the end of the hour skate as the wheels are scrubbed in to my stride, the skates feel very good and fast. The rest of Sunday is spent dealing with things needed to go back to work at Northrop Grumman on Monday morning.
I make a note, again, that Monday is the one year anniversary that Person N_V and I met. It is just a mental note to myself with no significant emotional content.