Feeling More Typical

 

After experiencing a weekend that did NOT have infused into it a sh*tload of drama... I feel more like my typical self.  That is, of course, quite pleasant.

• Ran 14 miles (~22.5 km) this morning.  Happily, air quality in our region was good.  I had not heard much in the way of updates about the Canadian wildfires lately.  I am not sure if they are getting under control or if we are lucky at the moment and the weather's wind currents are simply not directing the sooty smoke from these fires in our direction currently.
• Because of the closure of our Church, we have been rather nomadic Catholics the last several weeks (I haven't spoken about it too much here, but it happened July 1st.... it has been a bit of a raw spot for both me and my wife.  Eventually, I will write about it when my thoughts coalesce more.). We have been attending Mass at a variety of different parishes, trying to figure out where we best fit in. The Diocese has not been particularly helpful.... and we have been finding that folks from our closed church have scattered all over.... probably doing much the same as my wife and I.  So, we are seeing scatterings of all the folks wherever we go.
• We found that a nearby town had a "Sidewalk Sale" this past Friday.  My wife and I went there in the afternoon and spent the day together walking around.  I also picked up my bass clarinet from the shop where I had a repair technician do some fine-tuning on the beast.  I have not had the courage to try it out yet, but I should. 
• We found that the "semi-professional" orchestra (volunteer orchestra of mostly college-level trained musicians) was playing outdoors at the downtown pavilion Sunday evening.  My wife and I brought a picnic dinner with us and ate and enjoyed the wonderful free concert.  We had tomato sandwiches on toasted rye, cold chickpea and chard salad, and watermelon salad (with feta cheese, mint and lime). 
  
• I had done occasional "subbing" work with this group a few times over the years, but it is not a group I could belong to as they practice most every weekday evening (too much time commitment for me) and frankly I am not of that caliber either, and although I could be "close" if I were to practice every evening like they do, it would be stressful.  The community band I am a fixture at is definetely more my speed in terms of time commitment.  
• I have been carrying around in my pocket this weekend, one of my Zippo lighters.  It seems strangely odd to me.... but just carrying it in my pocket and taking it out perhaps 2-3 times a day and lighting it feels "happy" to me.  It had been such and everyday, common, "without thought" behavior for me to reach into my pocket and light my pipe with a Zippo for so many decades.  

PipeTobacco