the life of a small town is in its rhythms; for example, the mail person makes the rounds, the garbage people come once a week, traffic picks up a little at five. our street is brick so cars make more noise on it, and therefore the higher traffic times are more noticeable even in the house. we have a front porch but don't really use it heavily; we find ourselves coming and going from the back, as the front door doesn't open very easily.

friday night is a time of relief throughout the town and actually throughout the country. people crowd the stores and stock up for the weekend. the workers outside who have been repairing some kind of lines, electrical or maybe sewer, have just abandoned their trucks for the weekend and gone home early. the traffic goes around the trucks parked at the corner. it makes a slightly different corner for the weekend.

we are tired, having two kids with major adjustment to new schools. it was especially hard for both of them, since both sat out most of the spring and thus had like a six-month break to readjust back from. their new school is large and intimidating. the town for some reason has combined every high school and middle school student into one building.

bad planner that i am, i started this right before dinner, and the weekend caught up with me. now we have all moved along.

back behind the garage, on saturday, i reviewed the security cameras of the guy who lives back there - he had in fact found someone who came, opened our car, and removed my son's pack on thursday night the week before. it was our second break-in, and has taught us a severe lesson - nothing should remain unlocked even in this small town. it's a shame but it's the way it is.

the mystery involves the guy across the street from the driveway easement, who apparently was arrested and jailed the sunday after that , and now his lawn is overgrowing as he, in jail, is not around to cut it. the neighbor and i speculate about whether we would actually find my saws and lawn mower battery in his garage if we were simply to go over and look. the neighbor says that his neighbor, over on the other side of him, has even more comprehensive cameras than he does, and actually may train them on this guy's house. they are a little more vigilant than i am. and in fact that neighbor's dogs seem to have picked up on his anger.

i like to say, most dogs upon hearing ours say, bark-bark-bark-bark-doingmyjob-bark-bark-bark, but his say, bark-bark-bark-i'lltearyourthroat-out-bark-bark-bark. it's a difference you begin to hear amongst the dogs in the neighborhood.

more later. it's time to turn the wheel, and get along.