Melancholy funk

Much has happened over the past 7-10 days. I won't bore you with the normal details....if you're lucky.

I finished my first professional photo portfolio a few weeks ago. I culled through all of 2006 (35,000 images) to pull my 50 favorite shots. Currently I have two professionals reviewing it, one on each coast. When I get my reviews back, I will share with you all the....results.

The wife, kids and I took our first official family vacation together last week. Suffice to say, it wasn't without it's issues. We went to the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia to see the treasures of the Pharaohs. I have been planning it since the fall of 2006. We left a few minutes late on Wednesday....well if 240 minutes would be considered late. We also stopped in Gettysburg during a rain storm. Making it to our hotel in NJ, we eventually made it to the Franklin Inst. at 10 the next morning for our ticketed time slot. As we entered, the tickets were found out to be FOUR months old. When I purchased them, it was on Feb 12. The time/date was Feb 14 not June 14th. DAMN. I was in tears. I had been planning this trip so long and they wouldn't let us in. I had to buy tickets again, if they were available. Luckily they were and to the Franklin Inst. honor, they allowed us to purchase at a membership price rather than the normal price so that saved us a few dollars....

Saturday was the end of soccer. It was a long and very satisfying 12 weeks of soccer. My idea of an adult league was a resounding success. They will all be playing in pickup games through the summer.

The stick and ball season is almost done. The final record will be something like 14 losses and zero wins.

Grade reports came back last week too. Mostly even. A few improvements. My plan of using a cell phone for a reward wasn't enough. They studied only when they would get something now, not in the future.

We moved the recipients....stuff....from the old garage and it now FILLS the new smaller garage. I have moved some of the same exact items, three times now. Some of that stuff has been touched three times in four years. Only when it's moved. There's gonna be a big ass yard sale someday. Sell it, toss it or leave it. I'm not moving it again.

We started cleaning the 2nd floor of the new house. It's disgusting. The former occupant smoked and the previously white walls are GRAY with smoke.

I got to over hear the recipient talking to a former neighbor regarding his current health. He says he feels good. Unfortunately, he isn't following all of the doctors guidelines. But for the most part, his he only suffers from some tiredness. His energy level isn't what it used to be. He also has lost the feeling in the three fingers of his left hand. It' the same issue as before, but after shock therapy....?.... nothing has changed so we can probably expect that is the payment for a new liver.

We have to be out of the current rental the end of this month and we are nowhere close to packed or the new place prepared for us to move in. Then again, the recipient and his spouse are using all the boxes we need to pack. Not only that, but all their stuff is in the living and dining rooms as well as the kitchen. So we don't have a place to put our living room, dining room or kitchen stuff. Basically, I am sure it will go as it did two years ago. my wife and the recipients spouse will call the shots and I will have to deal with it.

I love my life, I just wish I enjoyed it.