Other End of the Road :: October 22nd, 2002 ::
The extensive traveling has subsided, at least for a moment.
Last week we were in Ithaca, visiting my happy, yet perpetually busy sister, who has started on the path to getting an Applied Physics PhD at Cornell. Then this past weekend we were down in Boston and southern Connecticut, attending the funeral for Jessamyn’s grandmother. It turned out well (relatively speaking, of course), and I seemed to put the family at ease by not making a scene of any sort, or by being inexplicably weird. Since it was an event more for family members, I felt it my position to be supportive and congenial, to avoid the spotlight whenever possible. Though I was touched by the eulogy given by Jessamyn’s cousin. I tremble at the thought of trying to write a rendering a meaningful piece of writing about the life of family member, and very much admire anyone who not only does it, but makes it look effortless.
I saw my parents while we were down there. My dad was in town on business, and my mom came along for the ride. We had dinner, and it felt good to see them again.
We discussed the latest developments in Wisconsin politics (the scandal nobody outside the state is really talking about), and I was amazed by what’s been happening there. Hopefully this will trip some new activism in my home state — the sclerotic political climate there was bordering on insufferable by the time I left six months ago.
Back in Vermont, Jessamyn and I are apparently now candidates for a joint caretaker position at Seyon Ranch, and we’re going in for an interview on Halloween. (Though it’s not a total surprise — we applied for the job — their actually calling us was a rather unexpected discovery when we came back). We both agree that our getting the job is still a long shot at this point, but I can’t help but think that an isolated trout pond in Northern New England is the perfect place for a couple of pacifists to hide out while incessant war drums beat along.
