I’m sitting here listening to the Pulp Fiction soundtrack, which I haven’t listened to in years. Many many years. It takes me back, what, ten, eleven years. The individual songs (like Al Green’s Let’s Stay Together, which is playing right now) make me think of the soundtrack. But listening to them together, that reminds me of the times. “Whether times are good, bad, happy or sad.”
So we got up today and went to church. I called Lorin Van Zandt afterwards to see about meeting up for breakfast, but she and Kyle, while on the way, were still in Raleigh. They’d stuck around last night and helped pick up after their friends’ wedding reception and just didn’t get up early enough this morning.
Amanda and I went back and printed some pictures for her parents’ anniversary gift, which was the same thing we’d gotten my parents (and Ben and Jessica for that matter, a while back)- a set of coasters that you can put pictures into. They also have little stands so you can use them as picture frames too.
Around 11:30 we took off for Beulaville. On the way there I tried calling my dad but he was out golfing. I called Pap, my grandfather, and wished him a happy Father’s Day. He sounded good, I thought. I know I’ve said that the last few times I mentioned talking to him, but before that he really sounded weak and weathered. Now, even if he’s not getting around so well, he at least sounds good and his spirits seem high.
We got to Amanda’s grandparents’ house a little before the Mercer crew but after the Frazelles. Michael and I were sitting on Hannah and tickling her when she told not to touch her armpit or belly button because she hated those. Well, that was obviously a stupid thing to tell us.
We ate fried chicken, potatoes, corn on the cob, rolls and green beans. There was some strawberry shortcake but the whipped cream looked really, really funky. Peggy, Earl and Phil all ate some, but the rest of us wouldn’t touch it.
After lunch Amanda, her mom, her aunt and her grandma (Karen Mercer, Anna Frazelle and Peggy Lemons respectively, if you need the references) went out to the garage (an nice open one, not a dark smothering one like you might imagine) and chatted while Barry watched a Formula One race. I think Phil was sort of watching, but eventually I believe all of us in the house (the menfolk and Hannah) dozed off. I woke up to the ringing of my phone.
It was my dad, calling me back. He said all of his kids had called him today, which was a nice thing. We chatted for a few minutes and I brought up the transportation issue for Kentucky. See, now that Jackson’s definitely going we’re going to need something that will fit six people. (Me, Amanda, Adam, Mom and Dad and Jackson.) Amanda and I had looked into rental prices, but it would have been about $100 per person including gas, and we weren’t too keen on that. And we didn’t want to drive the Jetta because it’s leased and we took it last year, which really threw our mileage out of whack. I guess we’ll get it all sorted out soon.
We got back to our house sometime between 5:00 and 6:00 I think. Michael is staying up in Richlands for another day or two while he and his dad finish making couches for his new apartment. I watered the plants, which sorely needed it as we still haven’t gotten any significant rain in some time here. The azaleas are doing well, actually. As you might recall we chopped them down then replanted them in different places around the yard. It took them a while, but they all have nice new green growth on them, some of them quite a bit of it. Oddly, the one that has received the least water, the one up front next to the driveway, seems to be doing the best. Maybe it’s the shade.
The rest of the evening was pretty uneventful. Both of us had slight headaches and didn’t really feel like doing much of anything, although in a spontaneous spurt of energy I decided to put the dishes away and give the kitchen counters a cursory cleaning. (Alliteration!) Amanda went to bed around 9:00 or 9:30 and I’ve just been putzing around on the computer since.
Zach Dotsey