Home On The River

November 7, 2011

Dear friends,

And the beat goes on ….

We’re settled here in the little house on the Neuse and Jason has been transferred to Texas1 Wuh. The shock has worn off, and we are thrilled to know that Jason has gotten the promotion he deserves. He is still with DPA, a division of L-3, but he is working at the corp. headquarters of LINK, the guys who make those aircraft simulators. His office is in Arlington, right down the street from Ranger Stadium, but they think they will live in Mansfield, a suburb. Jamie is up for the move and 3 out of the 4 kids are happy to leave Havelock schools. (Becca is a cheerleader and has earned a lot of money toward a trip to NYC with her Choirmates in June … bummer.)

It’s all pretty exciting. Jason has already been working in Texas, coming home on the weekends, and will go ahead of the family around December lst. Jamie and the kids will follow in early January.

They want us to come with them, and we probably will (it’s part of a migration west) but not right now. We’re in the process of hernia surgery (Dave)  and breast and liver biopsies (Sam), and need to take some time to get ourselves back together. Everything is really okay, well managed, just preventative stuff. I have a liver condition that requires a biopsy just to be sure it isn’t worse than we think. I also need to lose 45 lbs. (!) I have lost 40 lbs in the last 10 months and am plodding along. It’s a daunting thought but a tricky liver is pretty motivating.

I am joining the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Through going to church, reading the Book of Mormon, and study with a young missionary from Las Vegas, I have seen a way out of the spiritual desert I’ve been living in for too long. I feel like I can pray again, that my prayers are heard and that I can evolve spiritually in this church. Dave is mystified but very supportive. Jason and his family have never pressured me, not even a little; it might even have surprised them when I decided.

I have to admit that every now and then it kind of hits me: I never thought I would end up a Mormon. And I certainly never thought I’d be a Mormon living in Texas!!

We are just now climbing out from under the damage from Hurricane Irene. It took a long time for the city/county to pick up the debris. The trees were so damaged by the 24 hours of sustained high winds that they are trying to bloom now. Camellias are all budded  early, as is our ornamental pear tree and the little pomegranate in back.

We’re getting to know the Neuse River. The Neuse fluctuates only about six inches from the tides. Other fluctuation is from wind: Out of the east, the river rises; out of the west, or usually nw, the river drops in depth to where we can see old pilings used to steer logs down to a nearby, defunct sawmill. I don’t know how far we are from the ocean; we are close to the Hatteras Yacht Company.

At the edge of our  backyard is a 5 foot concrete ledge that runs along the water. Today the water is as smooth as glass, and about a foot below that ledge. But yesterday the water was up so high the waves were over the concrete and pushed pine debris up a foot onto the lawn.

Dave rides his bike at least every other day. Does all his errands on his bike. Yesterday he rode to Havelock to the kids’ for dinner. We still haven’t sold the bus. If our electric bill gets any higher we may have to move back in it! Davey sours at the thought of moving to Texas, but if we moved in the bus he would find it more attractive. We both miss the bus and the travel, but Dave REALLY misses it.

And we miss YOU! We watch the weather channel, to see what you’re all dealing with, west and east coast. And we think of you, lovingly.

Sam and Dave, Always