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Their connecting flight was canceled, so Jami and Josh won first prize Monday night: one night in Philadelphia, where the offending airline put them up overnight. The travelers arrived home Tuesday afternoon none the worse for wear, and bearing extra shampoo packets and soaps, which the younger boys covet (maybe just Taylor, now that I think about it). We're still not clear where the tyke is going to college next year. Next year? How about August? The abundance of choices and the importance he places on this choice have paralyzed him. So, Maine it might be.

I went to work naked yesterday. That is, I felt naked. Halfway to work I realized that the digital camera wasn't in its accustomed place on the seat beside me. My reaction was more powerful than the did-I-turn-off-the-coffeepot reaction. Had I placed the camera on the car's roof to free my hands when I unlocked the car? Was it now lying in the driveway? In the street? It was too late to turn back, so I sucked it up and drove on. If I hadn't been running late, I would have returned home at least to confirm that the camera was safe. I don't covet many things (okay, books and good, cheap pens), but I do apparently covet my camera.

Since I bought the digital in December, I have taken it with me to work every day. I haven't taken a picture while at work every day, but I could have. The camera has become my transitional object, much like Taylor's Blankie and Monk Monk. I made it through the half-day (after my noon class, I subbed for Shipman for three hours) and found the camera safe in the house where I'd left it.

If this had happened a day earlier, I would have missed the shot of the mounted color guard. I'm not a horsey person, but I could not help but be impressed by the stature, grace and power of these animals. And seeing the squad of nine of them in a full-tilt charge thrilled me as much as it would have when I was a kid. The question that begs to be answered though is did I fail to recognize anything noteworthy (or photo-worthy) Thursday because I didn't have the camera, or does the camera make me more receptive? Ahh, forget it -- admitting that I covet my camera is revelation enough for one day.

Temperatures have been low here this week. When Owen departs for swimming practice at 6:30 AM, the temperature hovers near 60 F, and it might rise to just over 80 F by mid-afternoon. I can remember past Junes here when the temperature broke 100 F nearly every day, and seldom dropped below 90 F. Now there's the geezer in me talking. It might be time to shuffle off to Wal-Mart to buy a rain guage.

This entry will suffer a hasty ending because I just got a call asking me to sub again this afternoon. Trading life for money -- what a game.

Reading:
Still Elegy for Iris