July.

On this, the last day of July, I see it fitting to briefly recap the events that have transpired over the last 30.5 days.

July started with a trip to Montreal, which was great. French was spoken, good food eaten, and mountainous regions ascended. A most excellent time was, I believe, had by all. En route to Montreal, I drove through the northern part of New York, where I had never really been before. I found it to be very pretty. Route 11 arcs across the top of New York from Watertown to the Vermont border (or thereabouts, I think, I’m doing this from memory), and cuts through a number of picturesque little towns nestled on the banks of one or another rivers. Also saw really big military planes landing at Fort Drum. Cool.

On our way home, we crossed back into the U.S. in the Thousand Islands region in Northern New York, and after some line jockeying, pulled into the booth. The Customs agent received the drivers’ licenses I handed him on behalf of the others in the car, and, after careful consideration, looked at me and asked, “so how long has it been?” Searching wildly through my mental index of time-sensitive vehicular licensing information, I responded by staring blankly. No doubt sensing my confusion, he pointed to the nametag affixed to his chest, and said “I used to live behind you.” He was right. He lived behind me in my old neighborhood in the Buffalo suburbs. We had played together a bunch in the elementary/middle school years, along with some other kids. I did not recognize him at all, but then again, we hadn’t seen each other since 1998 at the latest, and we fell out of contact long before then. We chatted briefly. He explained that he would like to be an air marshal. I mentioned I was working in Buffalo. He waved us through.

Should have gotten those Cubans.

The next week I went to Michigan, and took the Northern Route, above Lake Erie, through Canada. Combined with the previous week’s journey to and from Montreal, I racked up 14 or so hours of Canadian-highway driving in six days’ time, and about that experience, I have this to say: Canadians drive fast. And for the most part, they don’t get pulled over. I made excellent time, particularly on the Michigan jaunt. My only complaint, really, is that I have no idea how much I paid for gas. Canadian dollars per liter? That requires two conversions, and I observe a strict one-conversion-per-transaction limit. Made good time in Michigan, too. Speed limit 70! I timed my listening of the Marvin Gaye “What’s Going On” album (which I acquired in Montreal) to my passage through Detroit proper, which I find to be very much like Buffalo, but bigger, and with more American cars.

Then, four days later, off to Indianapolis for the wedding! The weekend was a blur of good friends, hotel rooms, Coors Light, airports, rehearsals, more friends, good food, racist cabbies, tequila, and the Final Countdown. Since my last blog post focused almost exclusively on writing the wedding music, I should say that it went very well. We rehearsed almost entirely in hotel rooms, which, it turns out, do little to insulate sound. [At one point, I excused myself from the Recessional rehearsal, leaving three trombonist fanfaring away in a room on one end of the building, to return to my room halfway across the floor. Inside, I could still hear them perfectly. But, miraculously, no complaints!] In general, the weekend is one of the best in recent memory, due entirely to the presence of my friends. It is my sincere hope that we can get together again soon.

This past weekend, my former apartment-mate moved out of my apartment and in with her fiancé, taking with her the coffee table, TV stand, some wall art, and almost all the dishes, pots, and pans. I had expected this, as they were, technically, hers. Still, things are in a state of mild disarray: TV and Nintendos on the floor, coffee table stuff by the fireplace, empty kitchen cabinets, etc. On the upside, though, I am free to occupy the large bedroom I have coveted for 15 months, and my bed has been appropriately relocated. Other furniture items will follow, and I am contemplating a large-scale reorganization of my living room, as well. But it’s just so damn hot here right now, and without air-conditioning, it is difficult to find the motivation to so much as roll over in bed, let alone move a 9-piece sectional sofa around. So give me a few weeks, dang. I anticipate that by early-to-mid September, things should be put together.

And, finally, the (near) future! Next weekend, I am off to my grandparents’ place in New Hampshire to enjoy swimming, s’mores, and other summer delights. After that, a trip to Ikea, somewhere (Toronto, Pittsburgh, or Philadelphia?), to buy new furniture and dishes. And after that (Labor Day-ish), a trip home to check out my parents’ new pool, which should be done by then.

Busy busy busy...

Over and out.