We spent the day yesterday visiting the Naylors at their lakehouse. It was a fun, relaxing day, with a nice cool breeze and lots of laughter. Alas, it ended all too soon.

Got a busy week with a few PRGAB events and other things going on. How is it that tomorrow is the last day of September?

On the bus ride into work this morning I passed by the Capital Park neighborhood north of Peace College. I couldn’t help but admire how inviting this neighborhood is. One thing that makes a big difference in my opinion is the use of alleys.

Once upon a time, all a home’s “plumbing” was tucked away from public view, only accessible through the alleyway. Half the front yard wasn’t paved over, and half the facade of a home wasn’t wasted with an ugly garage door.

Had trash to put out? It stayed in the alley, not on the front sidewalk. Had to park your car? The alley will take you to your garage, keeping the front street open for visitors. With an alley there’s no barrier between the front of the home and the sidewalk or street. A home can come right out to the street to greet company.

I wonder when (and why) subdivision developers stopped appreciating this extremely useful part of the neighborhood.

How could I have missed International Talk Like A Pirate Day?

Yesterday the family went on a mammoth bike ride: probably 25 miles! We rode our Middle Crabtree Creek greenway all the way to Crabtree Valley Mall, then up to Shelly Lake where we rested and snacked, then back down the greenway to our home. The kids rode the Trail-A-Bikes as usual, though I’m itching to get them firmly on their own bikes (and I worked with Travis on that a bit Saturday).

I was glad to see so many other cyclists out, too. Probably more than we’ve ever seen. I’m glad the greenways are getting the proper attention.

I also saw a woman with an unleashed spaniel dog at Shelly lake. The dog repeatedly charged into the lake chasing ducks and scared the turtles away. The next time I see something like this I’ll remind him or her of the rules of proper dog-walking in the city park.

We got back around 2:30 in the afternoon and didn’t have much energy to do much else, though I managed to wash the CR-V. It was still caked with mud from Kelly’s trip to the coast, so I guess you could say it needed it!

I was dozing earlier this morning when I sat bolt upright in bed. Someone had thrown a wad of tape on me! Still groggy, I grabbed the tape of my chest and tossed it across the room. Turning on the bathroom light, I took a closer look at the tape.

It wasn’t tape, but a cicada: the one I’d seen in the bedroom yesterday and assumed was a dead one the kids had brought inside. The little buggy had chosen 5:30 AM for a good time for an on-time departure to my chest.

I scooped him up and set him outside, chuckling as I went back to sleep.

Kelly and I had a great anniversary. We exchanged gifts in the morning, chatted throughout the day, and spend the evening together … with our kids! Hallie had her very first soccer game after work and a Conn Elementary Open House right afterward.

Hallie seemed to take to soccer. She loves it! Her team scored five goals so there was the thrill of victory. Actually, one girl on Hallie’s team scored every goal, or at least she seemed to. Hallie told us at bedtime she wants to become an “Olympic soccer champion.”

The open house was fun, but PTA meetings are PTA meetings. Its tough keeping the kids busy while PTA work is being done.

Hallie drew a “family tree” picture yesterday in class. She wrote “today’s my Mom and Dad’s anniversary.” Last night Hallie’s teacher congratulated us on our anniversary. Its true there are no secrets that first grade teachers do not learn.

Hallie also wrote about her soccer game that night. “I hope my Daddy can come,” she wrote.

I’m so glad I could.

Jury duty: its the obligation of every citizen in our democracy. When I got my summons to appear I knew I could find a way out of it, if that’s what I wanted. How could I consider myself a citizen, though, if I shirked this important responsibility?

After a few days of false starts the day finally came. The 8 AM start didn’t seem as early as I’d expected, though I did walk in a minute or two late. Parking for the jurors is anything but a prime spot. It was a good walk from my space to the entrance to the building. Once I got there it was relatively smooth going through security.
I put my label on my shirt, hit the button for the sixth floor, and wandered into the windowless juror assembly room, already full of jurors.
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I’ve been cut loose from jury duty. We finally marched into the courtroom around 10:15 and a group of jurors were called into the juror box for questioning. I watched from the audience as they were questioned, but that was about it.

The judge called a recess at 11:00 AM and I was free to go. I’m now excused for any jury duty for the next two years.

More details tonight. For now I’m heading into work.

Jerry Seinfeld is coming to Raleigh Memorial Auditorium November 14th. While I’d love to see him, the high cost of tickets isn’t appealing. Also MT.Net does a better Seinfeld than Seinfeld.

Today I’m off to the federal courthouse. Looks like this jury duty is actually going to happen. I am a little disturbed that my reporting time is 8 AM, though. What kind of fool time is that to start anything?

Look for slim to none blogging during the days as no electronics of any kind are allowed. I think its because attorneys as a rule are deathly afraid of technology, but that’s a post for another day.

Stay classy, y’all. I’m sure I’ll have a lot more to say tonight.