The Lord has given me this day; the weather is beautiful, work was good, Scott is out with his friends, I slept well last night for the first time since the notice from Liz’s lawyer.
A red tailed hawk flew right close over my head this afternoon and a red fox crossed the road in front of the truck on the way home from work. And, speaking of things of the color red, when I went to the beach just before sundown there was a large red barge being towed toward the Cape Cod canal and, on shore in line with it, from my vantage point crossing over the dunes, was a little boy in a bright red shirt.

Transition
Yesterday I got a letter from Liz’s attorney saying that she has scheduled a motion for alimony, custody, child support and attorney’s fees to be heard on August 8. Scotty worked with us today and we ate dinner together and went for an ice cream. I am really thankful I have him and have had him. I was awake most of last night with the court controversy on my mind.

I had a stressfull day and I am too tired to do estimates or prepare papers for my impending divorce. I met with the attorney who is advising me. I think I am going to have to go ahead and contest the terms Liz and her attorney offered me, that could prove expensive and time-consuming. My son Scott worked with me putting in two large doors in a house in Duxbury. At the end of the day I bicycled to the beach.

I have neglected the fine art of doing nothing but today I tried to re-sharpen my doing-nothing skills. I did have to get up at 6:30 to give Nathan a ride to work but I went back to sleep when I returned, and I skipped church. In the afternoon, I read the paper until Scott called for a ride home from his mother’s. Then I bicycled to the beach and walked along the shore for an hour or more. The water was very cold today, it made my feet hurt. Last summer it was warm all summer, warmer than it has ever been in my experience, but the currents must have shifted a little. The summer is beautiful here and it is easy to walk in the sand at low tide. I have to admit I spend a lot of time looking at the girls. In the evening, I bicycled to the church for the prayer meeting.

It is hot and muggy as I sit writing at the computer. Liz called and said her lawyer will be sending notice of a motion for temporary orders. I happened to open up a journal from the last round of court battles in 1995 and saw what a powerful piece of evidence was there. I wonder if I can use it in court? I am to meet with Attorney RH tomorrow to get his advice, although I do not intend to hire a lawyer for the trial.

Another hot, humid day doing the finish work in Pam's upstairs. I had a couple of interesting conversations with Pam. I worked late and cleaned out all the tools and swept the floor for the guy coming to lay the hardwood floor. When I got home, Scott helped me to empty the truck which he took to CueTime to play pool. I asked him what he did all day. He said, "being lazy."

I ate alone and then took my bike to the beach. This time of year it is light enough and warm enough to go to the beach in the evening. For a few months of the year it is an earthly paradise. The beach is about two miles away. to get to the outer beach there is a long wooden bridge across part of Duxbury Bay. People are usually fishing from the side of the bridge and couples walking, and of course joggers and bicyclists. Yesterday there was a man on a small surfboard with a parachute-like wing pulling him around the bay. Occasionally he would leap up and let the wing pull him into the air. He is not nearly as gracefull as the seagulls that ride the aircurrents effortlessly. I went out to the outer beach and stood looking out to sea. Flocks of sand pipers were flying just off the surface of the water their wings flapping furiosly. A few terns flew over. I have always thought these to be the most graceful birds, but the flocks of them are gone, the nesting area was over-run with SUVs.

It's my birthday, July 23. It was hot and humid today and I am too tired to do anything but this at the moment. Pam Taylor gave me a birthday cake, My sister Nancy called from Richland, Washington, Scott borrowed the truck to go play billiards, my soon to be ex-wife has not called; I have not been talking to her since she got a lawyer.