Huzzah

Awoke early, made a double espresso, tried to remember what I was supposed to do today, but mostly I killed a little time before it was almost full light, so I could drive down the driveway. Because of the rain yesterday afternoon, I didn't want to try it then, and it rained again last night. I didn't know what the status was going to be, so I stopped at the ridge end, and walked over to feel what the slippage factor might me. After 13 years I have a feel for this, and have often gone back to the house, made another cup of coffee, smoked a couple of cigarets, and given it another hour or two to dry out a bit more. Slippage always occurs at very top, the steepest part; but the steep part ends at a curve, and you don't want to be out of control there, so there's the maximum amount of camber, to throw you in against the bank. It felt good to me, just a little slippery, but the Jeep does very well going downhill, and it was like being in a different universe. It's a completely different driveway. The real test, of course, would be coming back up. I got a few things done, in the morning, then Pegi left, then, after lunch M and C were off somewhere to get some art, and I was the only one there. It's pretty good job security, when you find yourself the only one there. Closing up the museum is a process, now with added security, that requires my full attention, I don't want to set off an alarm. Nothing worse than finding yourself in the position of confronting a cop with his hand on a gun. So I'm careful, follow a set routine. I wanted to stop at the pub, but I was more curious about getting back up the driveway, and Scott had said his family business had secured the contract for rebuilding the bridge on Mackletree, and he'd built in a temporary ford, we could use, after hours, by just sliding the ROAD CLOSED sign out of the way. Sounds small town enough for me, so after work, I drive in the regular way, and sure enough, I can get around the construction. Nobody else is driving that way, because the road is closed, but I have a special dispensation, I just gave the boss $600 in cash to grade the driveway, and that means I can get home directly. Cash, in small town America, lubricates the system. Stopped and got the mail, before I pulled into the bottom of the driveway, and then everything was changed. I didn't recognize any stations of the cross. You'd have to drive this for yourself, the difference between night and day. I drove right up to my house, as if this what I'd always done. Life is good.