End of the Month

Funny how you never think about certain things until you see the calendar. I completely forgot that today was the last day of April until I started writing this post.

It's been a busy, but overall, good month, and I am going to bed feeling a little better about work than how I woke up. That is due, in part, to ending the day at Caswell, with my kids and my church group, and the joy associated therefrom.

The stats: 2,400 pictures, a more reasonable 3,500 miles, about six nights spent in hotel rooms, and not as much time out of state. But the workload is growing exponentially.

Today was a day filled with such different events, and a range of emotional states of mind. First, to wake up beside Drew was a wonderful reminder of how great my kids are, and that as they age, they change. There was a time where sleeping beside Drew involved bruises, being awoken multiple times through the night by a random elbow, knee or kick, but he seems to have calmed down considerably as he has gotten older.

Then after having gotten MK up, and my co-worker Mark on task so we could get a little work done in Henderson this morning, I got to watch MK bust Mark by calling shotgun to punish him for being late. It was hilarious — she was so pleased with herself, and Mark, as the father of four daughters, played along like a king. Then she and I were writing t-shirt slogans to go on Threadless, which caused me to think about laying in bed, and laughing about Piggytown™ and what that fifth little piggy's was thinking about the third piggy's cannibalism...

After my meetings, on the drive home, got to listen to how crazy certain people are when it comes to their paranoia (a friend has another friend telling the first friend's sister these lies because of jealousy, and it's so freaking middle school that I am amazed that someone in their late-thirties cannot get their emotional shit together and is reverting to these childish ways) and how family members cannot always be trusted to defend their own. That is something I have no real appreciation for since my parents always taught that, and I am so proud that is something we never have to worry about outside the family.

This afternoon was a little frustrating. Too rushed to pack the car, and too hot with too little help caused me to get VERY frustrated. I hate when I get that way, but I knew it was, in part, the heat, the dude who was running the blower and wanting to get on the road. Plus the afternoons are so hard on me emotionally. It truly is my worst time of the day...

...and while the drive down was punctuated by episodes of slow traffic and dead stops, I was able to pass the time talking with the office, a few clients and then entertained by the ramblings of two 13-year-old girls discussing modern life, their likes-and-dislikes (there was some SERIOUS Heath Ledger love going on back there) and able to just ride. (And don't get me started on how the Olsen Twins so murdered Heath — it's just WRONG.)

Tonight post-unload, and post crown-and-ginger at dinner, time around the Watts Street group was great. Took a few pictures, and enjoyed talking, and connecting with people in an entirely different way. And about to go to bed in a bunk bed while Drew watching the Fabulous Mr. Fox.

One final note: I had a friend give me three tickets to the Zac Brown Band in Atlanta on Mother's Day. Great tickets and a parking pass too and wanting to know if you want to join me. Drop me a line (davidcurtissmith@yahoo.com) and let's figure something out.

D300 200mm f/9 1/8000 ISO 1600