Half a Day
Read/Post Comments (0)
I managed to leave the house this morning about ten minutes earlier than usual, and was rewarded with NO traffic slowdowns. I was in the library by 7:30.
Not a soul appeared during the morning. When I went upstairs to leave some stuff in the archivist's mailbox I discovered that there were, indeed, other people at work. The archivist wasn't there, but her assistant was. She's not sure what other collections I need to be working on.
We chatted a bit, then I ate lunch and headed home. I'm thinking that by Thursday she may have found something. I told her not to worry--I had plenty of yard work to do at home.
So, I got home a bit about 2 PM. I took what is usually the shorter, faster way to get through town. It involves a drawbridge. Right--just as I approached the lights went on and the gates came down. The road is next to a boatyard, so I watched while the workers got a huge sail boat secured to the ground, then watched as the framework that moves large boats was removed from this particular one and driven away. We are talking about a good-sized piece of equipment. I think there were two people steering it.
The timing on the draw span was perfect--they had just gotten that framework out of the way when the large boat going down the bayou finished going through the bridge.
When we lived here in the 60s Slidell wasn't anywhere near as built up as it is today. The bridge across the bayou was one lane and hand-operated. During the eight years we were away somehow the old bridge got broken, probably by an overweight vehicle. When we returned in the 70s there was the new bridge--high enough for small craft to pass under.
When I got home I let my eyes rest a bit. Then I heard a car drive up and a male voice calling my name.
This was a former swimming student, wondering if I still gave lessons, because his five-year-old is ready.
We chatted a bit. He's a diver who does underwater welding and owns a house in the subdivision near us.
When you've taught swimming for more than 25 years you know a lot of kids. Another one-time student used his swimming skills to get a job with the boat patrol with the Sheriff's department.
I plan on using my "free" days this week to keep at the weeds etc.
Not a soul appeared during the morning. When I went upstairs to leave some stuff in the archivist's mailbox I discovered that there were, indeed, other people at work. The archivist wasn't there, but her assistant was. She's not sure what other collections I need to be working on.
We chatted a bit, then I ate lunch and headed home. I'm thinking that by Thursday she may have found something. I told her not to worry--I had plenty of yard work to do at home.
So, I got home a bit about 2 PM. I took what is usually the shorter, faster way to get through town. It involves a drawbridge. Right--just as I approached the lights went on and the gates came down. The road is next to a boatyard, so I watched while the workers got a huge sail boat secured to the ground, then watched as the framework that moves large boats was removed from this particular one and driven away. We are talking about a good-sized piece of equipment. I think there were two people steering it.
The timing on the draw span was perfect--they had just gotten that framework out of the way when the large boat going down the bayou finished going through the bridge.
When we lived here in the 60s Slidell wasn't anywhere near as built up as it is today. The bridge across the bayou was one lane and hand-operated. During the eight years we were away somehow the old bridge got broken, probably by an overweight vehicle. When we returned in the 70s there was the new bridge--high enough for small craft to pass under.
When I got home I let my eyes rest a bit. Then I heard a car drive up and a male voice calling my name.
This was a former swimming student, wondering if I still gave lessons, because his five-year-old is ready.
We chatted a bit. He's a diver who does underwater welding and owns a house in the subdivision near us.
When you've taught swimming for more than 25 years you know a lot of kids. Another one-time student used his swimming skills to get a job with the boat patrol with the Sheriff's department.
I plan on using my "free" days this week to keep at the weeds etc.
Read/Post Comments (0)
Previous Entry :: Next Entry
Back to Top
