No title, no sun, just rain: p.s., "it's all good"

I don't like that phrase, "it's all good." Maybe I'm just being perverse. It's in the same league as "oh, my bad" and "functionality," the latter being a term made famous by the IT people. Apparently, "capability" just doesn't cut it, and neither does "function(s)." IT has a tendency to create short-hand that becomes mainstream. It's even in the Webster's Collegiate Dictionary. Sad.

I meant to begin by saying that the idea to post a bunch of pics occured to me when I ran across the little ad for "disposable weddings..." June was a really wet month: we picked up over ten inches of rain. This month I think we're up to one inch. Most of this is via little squalls that run through the area, or thunderstorms that build around the hottest part of the day. Every so often, though, we'll get a gray, wet, depressing day. Summer in Norfolk = Hot to Sweltering. Did you know that sweltering is defined as above 70% humidity? I didn't until today.

I promised my Mom that I would type Patrick's letters from basic training. Here's the first one.

July 11, 2006
Hi.
I'm in boot camp finally. It started yesterday. And so far it...is...different, to say the least. I've organized a little work-out routine compiled of stuff I learned in weight lifting to help prepare everyone else for the PT tests. So far red phase isn't so bad. All I do is obey the drill seargents and don't resist and we get along fine. It's easy. Three people went AWOL already. It's ridiculous. I tried to call yesterday but I forgot how to use 1-800-Collect (what, are you kidding me?) and I don't have a phone card. So...send a loaded phone card and moleskin, ok? I've got half a blister. They're on my feet now and not my hands.

I graduate in November when I complete AIT.

Love,
Patrick
p.s., stick a 3 on the center (back) of the envelope when you write back so the mail can find me faster.

Patrick gets blisters on his hands from rowing and weight lifting. Blisters on top of blisters...because he refused to wear gloves. He said it interferes with his feel of the paddle (or weight bar). Ok. I don't like the way THAT sounds...