I'm Alive. Really

I'm here. I'm alive. I need to get back into the routine of posting here or I'll never get back into it.

The end of the summer was nice, with golf camp and hanging out. Jr. Jr. got the teacher with the worst reputation in the school in terms of homework and hard-assedness, so we'll see how that goes. So far, so good. She's very nice in person, but he likes to talk a lot, so I hope he doesn't spend a lot of time getting yelled at. This is kind of a funny picture of him, looking apprehensive as he waits for the bus on the first day of school:


Sr. Jr. seems to be doing fine, too. Seventh grade is old news. He's used to the whole middle school scene now. He will be trying out for the tennis team tomorrow afternoon, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed for him. He'll also be playing in the local Fall tennis league here in Arlington. Jr. Jr. will have soccer three days a week, too, so it'll be a task to coordinate.

I've been rapt, watching the matches at the US Open. Great tennis this year, and great stories -- Kim Clijsters? Love it! Since we saw Del Potro play here in Washington over the summer, we feel a personal connection with the finals this year.

I just finished a wonderful book, A Gate at the Stairs, by Lorrie Moore. She is one of my favorite writers, someone who can layer theme upon theme, meaning upon meaning, and make silly yet deep puns while doing it. The book has a big gut-punch in it, too, which I won't discuss in case Sharon hasn't gotten there yet.

But one of the parts that really stuck with me (and I'm not discussing much of the plot here) was when Tassie discovered that her boyfriend was not at all who she thought he was. She said to him something to the effect of "All of your rage and all of your anger... the world is so much smaller than you think it is, and so much bigger than you think it is." That's so very true, no matter what the source of your anger or sadness or worry, isn't it? I won't get all philosophical on you, since Sr. Jr. is on his way home.

Now that school has started again, I'm trying to get back into the exercise routine and the knitting routine. Doing one, however, means doing less of the other. But I'm happy to get my butt moving again.

This morning Mr. T consented to stay home and get the kids ready for school so I could get out early. I left the house at about 6:45 and enjoyed a nice, long and hilly walk. About a mile from home I saw two foxes frolicking with each other, just playing and tumbling along. Very cute. At the end of the walk, coming up to cross Lee Highway (a very busy main street), I saw a guy riding a unicyle up the street in the middle of rush hour traffic. Never dull.

The knitting is going. I've finished the back and front of my non-hoodie sweater, and have started the sleeve. Here's the front (before it was finished):


And here's the sleeve:


The sad thing is that I actually do have a lot to say, just not enough time to say it in, you know? Maybe when things settle into their routine I'll post more substantive crap.