Miscellany
Another week has come and gone. I spent several days in Texas, including a soggy drive from San Antonio to College Station. I’ve never seen Texas so green. I am convinced Texas municipalities have either not heard of or are fundamentally opposed to sign height ordinances. The businesses seem to compete on the basis of who can erect the tallest, biggest sign. Even churches participate. It all makes for an extremely cluttered appearance. Of course, maybe I’m just sensitive to it because a national chain restaurant recently opened its doors in our little Idaho town and tried to get the city council to change the 24 foot sign height limit. Half of the council members were persuaded by the restaurant, despite a strongly worded statement by the P&Z commission to keep the current ordinance in place. Fortunately, our mayor had enough sense to stand by the P&Z commission and cast the tiebreaking vote to keep sign heights at 24 feet.
I managed to finish the new Harry Potter book last Friday without the media or anyone else spoiling the ending for me. I’ll leave it at that so I don’t spoil the ending for you.
I’ve been pondering and writing a short story for several weeks now. My writing pace is glacial. In fact, to date I only have one sentence that satisfies me. On the other hand, I have no deadline and I write to please myself so I might as well keep working at it until I’m happy.
Security markets have been more volatile of late. After four years of an upward march and minimal dislocation, finally there is some uncertainty that will hopefully create future opportunity.
I have wanderlust again. It has only been three months since I was in France, and I’m ready to pack up and go faraway. An island would be ideal. I’d take LaPriel and the kids of course. The problem is the time. When the kids were young we use to pull them out of school to go on trips. Now that they are older, they get behind in their studies if we pull them out. That leaves us only the weeks and months when everyone else travels, which is unfortunate because I don’t like crowds nor the higher costs of the high season.
Comments
And did you like the HP book? Re: wanderlust, that seems to be a continuous state with me. So I'll reflect your own advice back at you: You shouldn't let school get in the way of your children's education.
I'm itching to get back down to Baja, and am still concocting plans for a short trip even though my normal travel buddies (and translaters) cannot make it....
Posted by: Simmons | July 30, 2007 7:20 PM
I did like the Harry Potter book. From a craft perspective, I thought it was her best written tome.
Right on the education front. I could actually work from anywhere so if I had my preference I would be a vagabond. Unfortunately, my kids feel a tie to their classmates and friends.
Baja would be fun.
Posted by: jd | July 30, 2007 10:07 PM
My hubby's in San Antonio for a few days and he said it was greener than he's ever seen it. But he's also being rained on and it's only 90 degrees--that's a little different for SA.
We're wondering where to go next, too. Unfortunately, our wanderlust is stronger than our checking account.
Posted by: Kell | July 31, 2007 10:20 AM
It's a rare person (or family), I think, whose wanderlust isn't stronger than their checking account!
Posted by: Simmons | August 1, 2007 10:49 AM
So true Simmons and Kell. I solved the problem and booked a December trip to Maui. Yeah for frequent flyer miles and hotel points.
Posted by: jd | August 1, 2007 3:17 PM