Of families and snipers and finally fall...

[geminigirl]

So, if you've been under a rock, there's a sniper around here. Right. Yesterday I was driving home, on a sidestreet just off 395, (Quaker Lane for those of you who are local) and along this street, there's always a line of parked cars, and two lanes of traffic. In the right lane, not far from the highway, was a stopped police car. With lights on. And the policeman was checking out a white van...it was a bit freaky. My mom has decided that she's going to send me money to make sure I get someone to pump my gas cause she knows I won't pay for it. She's also mentioned several times that I should "come back home until this is over." What a thing to come back to. The shooting yesterday was near 95 and Route 1. I live near 95 and Route 1-no where near the site of the shooting, but I had to make sure to call home to be sure that they knew that 1. I was fine and 2. the shooting was not close by. (That said, the site in Manassas, I do go near, when I run groups at one of the middle schools out there.) I'll be glad when it's over, the sniper thing is spooky. And totally random.

I spent eight days at home. The longest I'd been there in two years. It was incredible, painful at times, but a good thing. My parents appreciated my being there, I felt better being there-it was the right thing to do, from a family obligation and emotionally for myself. It's also the last time I'll likely see my little brother for a while, since he's moving to New Mexico later this month. I didn't see my sister, but she'll be home for Thanksgiving. I know this is only the beginning...that there will be more times when I have to do this. Suddenly, I'm thinking about using Family and Medical Leave...which they told me I could use to cover the time I took if I needed to. (I took it as vacation because I had to burn the time.) I'm glad to be back at my own place though. The time off did me good, although it wasn't particularly relaxing.


After several days of feeling style-less, and blah about my wardrobe, like the spunk and spirit of it was lacking, I got all kinds of compliments about what I was wearing to work this week, about my suit, my sweater, my blouse. I'm feeling a bit more inspired, but I think my wardrobe still needs some more intersting stuff.

And it's finally autumn. The trees are starting to change colors...I can't wait til I have to head out on 66 to see all the colors. I'm eating apples again. Sweaters, I've taken sweaters out, and openened windows, and turned off the air. It's getting dark earlier, I'm lighting more candles. I love the smells of autumn. The routine changes. It was still dark in the morning when I got up the other day. It's crisp and beautiful. And Halloween is coming.

Comments

[slinkr.livejournal.com]

The sniper thing sounds pretty awful.

There's not much you can really do in that kind of situation. One thing that occurred to me as I was reading about this in the NY Times was that it might be safer to buy gas after dark because this guy seems to be shooting people from far away in broad daylight.

[geminigirl]

It's just so random that it's hard to figure out. There's been at least one shooting at a gas station at night-the one close to where I have to go for work. Today the Guardian Angels are pumping gas around here-tomorrow too, AFAIK...I may go to get gas then...didn't think of it on the way home from work.

[http://users.livejournal.com/grimkitten_/]

I love autumn too, it's so warm and fuzzy. Glad to hear you had a decent time with your folks and got to relax a little. Hope your dad is feeling much better.