Letters to Holly

Monday, March 26

Things Are Gone

I picked up my car from the dealership Friday afternoon and discovered to my utter amazement, shock, and suspicion of reality that the actual cost was lower than the estimate. This never happens. This is the equivalent of finding a nine-leaf clover that plays saxophone. Once Your Sister scooped me off the floor, we drove into downtown Mayberry for an early supper. There, another shock awaited us: A favorite restaurant, closed due to fire last year, had quietly reopened. In we went, and eats was ate. That night we watched some more of Lord of the Rings, and we're halfway through the approximately eight-hour extended cut of the last film. When this is finished, Your Sis has decreed we shall watch the Matrix trilogy again. And who am I to argue?

On Saturday, I arose early for a much needed haircut. I arrived a bit early and walked to the local boulangerie for croissants. They have a chocolate croissant that is light-years beyond 'indulgent'. I got back home, and we prepared our documents for the annual tax appointment in Asheville. Not only was it relatively painless and quick, but we are getting a nice chunk of change back from Uncle Sam. Also, while strolling the town, I showed Your Sis the R2D2 box (see below). She hit Tops for Shoes while I killed time in a variety of stores, including a record shop where I picked up a Nurse With Wound CD I haven't heard since college.

We stopped by some other stores on the way back home to buy her warm-weather school clothes, and, of course, crackuccino. The night ended with a surprise birthday party for Kathy. Travis called me about two hours before to ask if I would bring CDs, and we got in time for me to burn some mix discs for her to keep after the party. It was a fun time, and we invited a handful of folks to our place next weekend for the WrestleMania PPV.

But earlier in the day we noticed one of the roadside plants was missing, and a large hole was where it used to be. We were stumped as to why anyone would take a plant, but I suspected the neighborhood kids. Nothing else was missing.

On Sunday, I bought a New York Times and read on the back porch. It was great weather for it, and after the read, I ran around the neighborhood in my newly purchased wicking shirt. It's the first uniform-like outfit I've worn since high-school basketball. I did pretty well for a long run, but my diaphragm was hurting, and the afternoon heat was killing me. I usually run later in the day. After I cleaned up, Your Sis said she talked to a neighbor about the new lawn hole and was told that the original house-owner would return to reclaim plants. She did this after selling her house to the couple we bought it from. We called them, and they confirmed it. Well, now I was pissed. Vandalism is one thing, but taking items from a property sold years ago is almost crazy. I called the couple and left a message on their machine to call me back. I don't expect to hear anything, but if we did contact them, we have arranged a proposal. When Your Sis is off for Spring Break, she will host the woman, and they will divvy up the plants. She can have what she likes. But this is a one-time offer. Anything happens to our yard before that, and we call the cops. Anything happens after, and we call the cops. And I don't want to call the cops to complain about a plant-pilferer, but what else should we do? The theft is petty, but it's theft. We ended the night watching both Kill Bill films on cable TV. They had some really nice edits throughout, nothing ridiculous at all.

This morning, I sent off the food comic, and that project is now done and over and finished and ended. When the editor gives the OK, I'll post it here.

Picture of the Day
Send this to Postmaster General Kenobi.


In the News
After the weekend revelation that Attorney General Gonzales sat in on personnel meetings he claimed to have never attended, it seems his resignation is inevitable. But Gonzales is a longtime buddy of Bush, and the president may be determined to keep him no matter what. Again, the cover-up eclipses the event, and had these folks simply told the truth about what happened, we wouldn't face a constitutional showdown to force people to 'fess up.

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The UNC loss to Georgetown wasn't shocking after hearing their game on Friday, but their collapse at the end was. The team seemed to be replaced by randomly selected fans. Also, my brackets are all but ruined. I could still correctly pick the final between Ohio State and UNC with Ohio State winning, but I really hoped to have the Final Four right.

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