A is for Anna

Anna has only made one B in her four years of high school, and that grade was an 88. I knew she spend a lot of time on her studies, but really hadn't considered that she was performing that well – even better grades than Will had in high school. Anna has 60 in her graduating class, though I'm not sure where she ranks. Nice that colleges consider private school educations as more rigorous than the public schools. Will had told Anna she ought to apply for the UGA honors program, though I doubt she will.    

When two people meet who both wear Chuck Taylors they can immediately tell they had something in common. It's almost like there are two kinds of people: those who wear Chucks and those who don't. Like you, I don't. I always thought Chucks were cool but never really had any as a kid – maybe once before I really got into shoes. I have a white pair of low tops, but shoes without thick soles just make me look even shorter and fatter, so I never wear them. A few years ago I had a pair of black high tops. One day I saw Joel Norman wearing a similar pair and mentioned I had a pair just like them. He kind of stammered and said that Will had given Joel my shoes, and we both had a good laugh. Since then I've given Joel 3 or 4 more pairs. The other night I even thought about asking Joel if he needed any shoes.

Anna just bought a pair of black Chuck Taylor high tops. She also has a white pair of Vans she wears. M has a pair of white Chucks that he only occasionally wears. He wears the high tops flipped down, which I'm not crazy about. M usually wears brown leather shoes but also likes Vans. It's report card time so we'll see about M. Supposedly he's doing better in 2015 than he did in the fall. If he's still failing I'll really have to be the bad guy. Ceil hates making waves. He's been studying math with his friend McKinnon. He has a hard time going to sleep at night, so we need to get that checked out. When eating he only nibbles, then nibbles more throughout the evening. Hard getting him to change his habits.

Will's former teammate David Bartlett (coach Henry's son) wears a hard to find size 16. For a while whenever I would come across a pair of nice 16s I would buy them for him, including a pair of red Pumas. He loved it. David just graduated from KSU and moved to Korea to teach English. I bet he really stands out with his huge feet and light brown buzz cut on his skinny 6'4" frame. Henry teaches at Wheeler and really battles the system. He is always taking in homeless students. He and his wife are great tennis players. They also care for his elderly father (with Alzheimer's) and toddler grandson.

Wednesday I picked up M on the way home. C and A had art. Will played basketball in the morning at Johnson Ferry, got a haircut, and played 18 holes of golf in the afternoon (through the rain). Then he watched The Office and took a practice MCAT test from 9 pm – 1 am. I watched a Jay Leno hosted show about classic cars. As a kid he liked cars and was able to turn it into a lifetime hobby.

Went to a follow-up appointment about my shoulder. Doctor said I am progressing on schedule – my pain and limited range of motion is normal. Perhaps I can start physical therapy in late April. Thursday morning Will and Joel drove 4-1/2 hours to Jefferson SC, played nine holes of golf, and drove back to Atlanta. I have made that one day round trip at least twice in the past, once starting in Marietta in the van to pick up furniture, and once starting in SC in Mr. Miller's pickup for the same reason. Thursday night Matthew made up some buttermilk pancakes, and they turned out good.

C and I ate at Reid's birthday dinner at the Taqueria del Sol catering facility near Emory University. Edie made a nice speech. I learned a bunch. She didn't mention that Reid also has a list of all the places he has taken her. Ceil feels the same way about all my "stuff" but she forgets that she has just as much accumulated. From what I can see both kids have grown up into great adults, spouses, and parents. They both married wonderful people. With all the family chaos nothing seems to ever throw Claire for a loop.   

We couldn't have had a better time. So good to see the crowd. The girls behaved beautifully, especially when they went around hugging everyone. Ceil knows Andrew's mother, so it was good to sit with them. Andrew's dad was funny. Bill Reed and I had a lot to talk about. Dock looks good without the beard. We got to chat a little. Also had a nice chat with Ron Watts and Andrew and Claire. Good to see Bill Dukes. I hadn't seen his wife in a long time so it was good to see her. The food was great. Ceil and I both liked the brisket taco. I need to get that grits recipe.

At least we weren't the last ones to arrive. Traffic was extra bad. Left work 1-1/2 hours early and drove home to get Ceil. Didn't stay at the house ten minutes and we were back on the road. Southbound GA 400 was jammed starting at the North Springs MARTA station all the way down to 85, creeping along at 5-20 MPH, but it was the quickest way to go. Then some of the surface streets were jammed as well.

I sometimes wonder what it would have been like to have served in the armed forces (or to work for the government). My eyedoctor looks like Matthew Broderick. I tell Ceil she was the inspiration for the wife in the "Jake from State Farm" commercials.

Joel recently played a gig in Auburn and said Kevin and Haley came to hear him.

On my list of sporting events and other memorable events the only notations for March 12 are from the past two years. In 2013 Will traveled to High Point NC on Spring Break. Last year he was touring Freedom Hall in Philadelphia. The oldest scrapbook calendar at work is from 2011. Will played a doubleheader in chilly McDonough, collecting 6 hits and 7 RBI. He pitched 2 innings and struck out three. Afterwards we ate at Zaxbys with my dad. C and A went to ballet and Virginia Highlands. Looking at just one calendar spreadsheet on my computer, on 3.12.2003 we had small group, Will had baseball practice, and I wore a checked shirt, loafers, and grey Dockers. Ate at Chickfila.