The Friend Update

This summer, I have done a grand total of three social outings. 

First, I went into town to say hi to Bill, Jill and Ben! It was awesome to see them in person in my town. Bill is the friend I keep up with the most right now. We play some video games usually at least a couple of nights a week after our families are asleep. 

Second, I reached out to Mark and Scott to play some cards (The Crew: Mission Deep Sea). I'd half hoped that Mark would bring Hazel to play with Shane, but she was out of town. We met at the brewery, played some cards, and the 30 board games I brought just in case cooked out in the car (but I was ready!).

Mark and Scott's band was going to play a show at Champion Brewery one Sunday night. I was tired, but I was planning on going (It's not like I would have had the time or energy in the school year!). Unfortunately, the show was postponed due to weather and I haven't heard about it being rescheduled yet.

The last social call was I met up with Dylan's dad, John.

We moved a couch from his dad's place.

Dylan was at the beach with his mom, so Shane stayed home. We had to remove a door, but it wasn't a rough moving job. 

It wasn't much of a social call. John offered to buy me lunch afterward, but I'd already eaten and it sounded like he needed to meet his father-in-law at Lowe's to keep their bathroom renovation moving forward. We ended up driving next to each other and talking at successive stop lights as I went home and he went to drop off the uhaul (It felt like a TV sitcom for a while there!).

I wanted to go to NOVA at some point, but it hasn't happened. My old friend, Drew, texted me out of the blue right as summer was starting. We traded texts for a while, but I faded off with all the Kitsune happenings. 

I texted Travis, too, at the start of the summer thinking, "We can visit Travis, Gen and Chris, Jama....", but I haven't followed up with him again either. He had his own drama happening at the beginning of the year. He ended up vindicated later, but I'd still like to check in and hear how things are going at some point.

John is still running on silent mode. I try to call him a couple of times a month. When I was driving down to NC to pick up Shane once I called on a whim. He actually picked up and said, "Hello!" I was stunned for a half a second, before I started to talk......and he hung up. I don't know if he got a new phone and didn't recognize the number or if he just picked up by reflex, but he hasn't picked up again since. I haven't given up and I'll call again in the future, but I don't want to do it so often he gets mad enough to make the effort to block my number.

Marcell sounds like he's doing well in Thailand. I haven't talked to him much lately, but he joked the last time that he could get me a job where he worked! I'd like to go to a Spanish speaking country at some point, because I think I could become fluent if immersed long enough. It won't happen with my situation, but it's a fun thought.

I texted Kim and Ryan about visiting them back in June and then never followed through with anything. There was one day Shane and I were picking up Bucket and I thought about driving by, but I ended up too concerned about how Carrie was faring back home. I need to reach out again before school is in full swing.

While I'm not ready to go back to work yet, there are people there I'd enjoy seeing again. I wonder if my classroom will be moved back to downstairs Purple where most of them are. Or maybe I'll start to make some connections up where I am now in Blue. There's been a lot of movement in the department. There were a pair of promotions, a baby, a retirement, and "an opportunity that couldn't be refused" (Whatever that means). Half the teachers will be new next year!

This summer has been all about family. I'd like to be more social, but the family needs have to come first. I might get in a NOVA trip yet. I haven't talked to Cammy or Erwen recently either, so they're on the social wish-list! I get to see the boarders and the occasional Carrie friend, so that's nice. None of them have kids Shane's age, though. I'd love it if a small group from our church started up again near us with kids Shane's age, but Shane joining the youth group is probably where we'll meet more people and hopefully make more connections.

All that said, enough happens in the day I'm not sure when I'd have the time to see everyone! It's easier to be social when the people have kids. That way a social call serves two purposes: Fun and child care! 

And that's my social situation right now.