On the Road

Hello.

I have been on the road since I have been here last.  Many major things have occurred.  Dan graduated, stayed in Logan at Dewberry.  Have helped hire my replacement at the athletic office, and now am typing this entry from Holiday Inn Express in Ripley, West Virginia on the eve of the Griffin Reunion in Spencer.

It is probably appropriate for me to now insert what I wrote for the Island two weeks ago.

June 12, 2011

 Good morning from Southeast Ohio.  It is about 6:17.  It is a big day.  It is graduation day for number 2 and 51 for Suzanne.  It is happening this morning from the back deck at the Hideaway.

 It is nearly impossible to explain what this place is like for me.  Perhaps I have errored in not coming back here before. I think it could be a place from which to reassess many things.  It is quiet.  Well except for the birds.  Many many birds.   This morning a woodpecker is off to the west hammering away.  Robins, nuthatches, and other assorted winged friends are up to meet the day. It is nice and cool here on the back deck.  The hot tub percolates at a mild 100 degrees, and life seems very calm.  There is no cell phone service, there is limited television, there isn’t much to say.  Just to take it all in.

 There are about a zillion things going through my mind about today.  I am pleased that #2 has reached this point.  I am certain that he is quite ready to make his move. Last evening his friend’s mom and step dad came here for tacos and fruit.  It was a pretty simple meal….. pretty simply received.  Today it will be burgers on the grill and there is some chicken as well.

I want to work on a hand written note for Dan to pass along some wisdom and explain to him what today signifies.  I am so pleased…. So so pleased…. That he chose to come this way.   I always have to be careful that I don’t over do Athens.  Sometimes I believe I send the message that I come to see Athens almost as much as I come to see him.  Not true…..  He is always the main reason…. I would venture that it is about 75% for him…   25% for Athens.

 My father isn’t having a particularly good time physically. He says it is his right hip that he is having problems with.  He had a rugged time yesterday getting in and out of the car. It is difficult to see him struggle.  It is even more difficult to see her dote over him. I sincerely do not hate her.  I dislike his reasoning for choosing her.   Maybe it is a very small distinction, but never the less….. She is socially inept that it is painful being in her presence.  I can not even begin to predict how it will end up.  I am fairly certain that he will prod me to make a deal where I will look out for her after he is gone.  I don’t think I can do that.  I just don’t have it in me to make that choice.

 For some reason I am struggling to write this morning.  The words come slow, and the sentences are choppy.  Perhaps I am still trying to discern if this was a good move to come here or not.  Last evening…. I sat out on the deck near the hot tub, and wandered through the past at that place.  Played some Titanic music and looked at pictures from the past. In some ways it seems so so long ago.  One thing I will say for that time, I don’t know if I ever was more impressed with the season.  The leaves were spectacular.  The thunderstorm of that Friday night, and the cool ride up 93 to get back to the main road……  I am certain it will be one that will be etched in the top ten memories of my entire life.

The deep green of the woods is impressive this morning.  The sun takes a while to break over the ridge here.  It will most likely stay cool and relaxed well past ten. The hideaway is air conditioned and it is nice to be inside during the high sun part of the day.

 Some odd things are coming up this week.  Interviews for my old job are scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday.  There is a board of education meeting tomorrow night at 5:30.  It will be my last one.  I will go on record to plainly state that I have detested those people.  They have virtually no clue what it takes to do the day to day job, nor do they have any respect for those that do.  There have been two specific ones that were nearly impossible to work with. It is good to consider that I will have to tolerate them no more after tomorrow. 

I really like that I am out of range for the cell phone service.  I think that it may be a true blessing.  It is also probably very good that there is no internet service either.  I would like to read the paper, but…. You know…. It is ok…. This place could be a very centering place.  It seems to be the pull back place from the world, a place to reassess what I will do next.

It is now 6:46…. And time to get on with the day.     If I want to have any sense of peace, it will be in the future, because many parts of the past are pretty dim.

June 12, 2011, a very important day.  Soak it in.

There how about that one.... two weeks later I deliver....  not good.

I will be spending more time here on the island as I work through what I have done to my professional career by asking to be non renewed.  This past week I have really been struggling..... really struggling.

In the meantime... I hope to enjoy pop tomorrow....  and learn to just take him as he is....