Fringeville #137 August 09 2015

The ladies in my life

My daughter is 25 today. Quickest quarter century I've ever watched go by. (I remember when waiting for the dismissal bell in junior high took a good decade or so.)

She and my wife are best buddies. Joined at the hip. Which means they occasionally drive each other crazy. It provides me with a lot of theater, but I wouldn't have it any other way. We're going to go out to eat and celebrate another year in the rear-view. I am thankful to the good Lord and great doctors that I am here in pretty damned good shape to celebrate with them.

So happy 25th, CoCo.

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I took a run up to South Abington Township for the GOP picnic in the park today. The weather was great, the company was excellent, and a splendid time was had by all. 

It struck me how many friends I've made in Lackawanna County over the past few years. I didn't know anyone up there at all at one time, but getting involved in politics has as a reward the chance to meet some really wonderful folks, and there's a mess of them up in Lackawanna County.

I spent some time talking with Laureen Cummings and Bill Jones, the next Lackawanna County Commissioners. I had some excellent burgers (2 in fact) grilled up by Lackawanna GOP chair Lance Stange. I chewed the fat with Melanie and David Madeira, and also spoke with my good friend Mary Barket from Northampton County (one of the sharpest and hardest working ladies I've ever met in politics).

I saw some of my Luzerne County friends as well. Ron Ferrance and his son Brandon (a young, rising star in the GOP) were there, as well as Donna Baloga. I'm sure there were many more folks I should name, but I am an old fart and have to check most mornings that my underwear is on right-side out and facing front, so just remembering all the above folks is a minor miracle for me.

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My cousin Connie and her husband Jim celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary at a surprise party last weekend in Maryland. At first I wasn't sure I could make the trip. I had to work 3rd shift on Friday night, and the party started at 1PM. That meant working all night then driving to Baltimore. I finally decided I had to be there. I felt compelled, actually. There would be cousins I hadn't seen in a decade or more. And I was in their wedding:

...I am the little fart in the middle...

When I finally had the chance to talk to Connie, the first thing she said was: "When are you going to finish writing No Cognitive Defect? I've been waiting two years for the next installment!"

I promised her more was coming. It will be a challenge. Nothing saps creativity more than working two full-time jobs. I get some great ideas at 3AM while I'm cleaning a room in the O.R. I hear dialogue in my head, clear as a bell. I see where to take the plot.

By the time I get to the day job at the shoe store, the dialogue has become a faint whisper and the plot points have become a smear of muddy, meandering possibilities.

And by the time I get home, I don't hear a damned thing and the only thing I'm plotting is what to eat before going to sleep to start it all over again.

Somehow, Connie (and Bridget, who I know will see this at some point) I will find a way to finish the novel. Time is slipping by at a faster and faster rate. I need to make things happen for my characters before fate makes something happen to me.

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