July 11, 2001
Dear Everyone:
The only problem with going on vacation for a week and a half is going back to work afterward. Sleeping in had become something of a habit. Getting out of bed at 5:15 each morning is something my body doesn’t recognize as a necessity. Luckily, things have been fairly quiet at work lately, so no one notices if I come dragging in a few minutes late. And it all comes out in the wash, since I usually wind up dragging myself away from my desk a few minutes late at the end of the day.
One reason things have been quiet is that lots of other people are on vacation themselves (it’s that time of year), or in meetings or training sessions. Of the meetings, I can’t say much, since most of them concern preparing for the upcoming Merger with That Other Company (pending FTC approval, of course).
Several people have commented privately that they would be just as happy if the FTC would “just say No”, so things could go back to “normal”. However, with a President in the White House who seems to think that Mount Rushmore would look even better if George Washington was wearing an oil derrick on his head, like a party hat, the chances of that seem slim. And so, the Powers That Be continue to carve up their imaginary empire in happy anticipation of Day One, whenever that will be.
In the meantime, it’s business as usual, plus lots of planning without telling people what the plan is. This week our software vendor called “just to touch base” and see what he could do to help. I spent a quarter-hour not telling him anything. In that regard, it’s kind of like a cocktail party without the good stuff.
Meanwhile, out in the Valley, it got so hot in Fresno last week (triple-digits) that “Marshall” decided he just had to be somewhere else, so he came to visit last weekend. He and “Jeannie” went into The City on Saturday. They graciously invited me to come along. Since my leg is still kicking up trouble, and since they enjoy spending hours looking around shops without actually buying anything, I graciously declined.
Instead, we met for champagne brunch at a nice restaurant in Walnut Creek on Sunday. This is one of those buffet arrangements where you serve yourself from a large variety of tasty things (although no waffles or pancakes this time). When you come back to your table, you discover that your champagne flute has magically refilled itself. Caution advised.
While “Marshall” and “Jeannie” were cavorting around San Francisco, I went to see the new Disney animated film, Atlantis, The Lost Empire. I don’t have “Jeannie’s” prejudice against animation. It allows actors like James Garner and Michael J. Fox, who can no longer go before the camera, to continue to act, if only with their voices. This is no cutesy musical, it’s an adventure, plus the usual boy-meets-(2000-year-old)-girl. Good, clean fun, especially when the theater is air-conditioned and it’s in the 90’s outside.
So far, this week has been much cooler (knock on wood). I can even open the windows in the evening to cool things off. And to allow the horizontal blinds in the west bedroom to knock themselves silly beating against the window. Maybe this will be the year I finally get them replaced with shutters.
Stranger things have happened.
Love, as always,
Pete
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