Elizabeth, Jeremy and Alex are once more in the air as I write on their way to the Daum branch of the family. Jeremy estimated that they saw 17 family members while they were here (with one “walk in” being Barb Phillips).

They looked in good spirits (Alex included) as we dropped them off at the airport a while ago. It’s a bittersweet feeling to see them go, but also it’s good that they are making the rounds of all the family.

Eileen got up and went with us. Sarah and Matthew got up bleary eyed to say good-bye.

After I got home, Eileen and I had breakfast. Then I sent off my weekly email of upcoming bulletin information for the church.

Tomorrow Matthew and Sarah get on a train for Chicago for the first leg of their journey back to the UK.

They cleared out their belongings from their rental before leaving and are returning homeless. They will be staying with family there for a while. They don’t look like they are looking forward to that much.

Yesterday we all went and saw Mary then went to the beach. This turned out to be a surprisingly good idea. Alex saw and touched her first sand and had her toes dipped into Lake Michigan.

I have today largely off, but tomorrow I begin my accompaniment for ballet classes. Weirdly the teachers want both pianists to show up for the first combined class. I emailed them that I was willing to cede this hour to the other pianist but would come. It’s weird because they don’t need two people at the piano. I have the uneasy feeling that they missed us and would like to see us. At any rate I have it on my to do list for the day.

We also have a staff meeting tomorrow. This occurs in the hole in my schedule between my 11 AM class and my 2 PM class. I am feeling very positive and rested about entering into my fall schedule. I’m probably going to stop picking hymns (I’m up to Holy Week 2016) and start picking choral anthems very soon.

I have been doing a lot of thinking about thinking.

Logical thinking takes effort and life long learning.

At least it has for me so far. Speaking of a long life, I bought today’s Kindle Daily Deal of his book, Essays after Eighty.

Essays After Eighty – Kindle edition by Donald Hall. Literature & Fiction Kindle 

I just counted my books on my shelf by Hall and came up with 12 of them. This surprises me because I mostly think of him as the author of the poem, “Kicking the leaves.” He also edited Contemporary American Poetry.

I have two copies of this sitting on the shelf. They appear to be first and second editions of the anthology.

Oliver Sacks, Neurologist Who Wrote About the Brain’s Quirks, Dies at 82 – The New York Times

And then there’s this guy who also made it to eighty. Quote for the day:

I think Mozart made me a better neurologist.

Oliver Sacks

Neil deGrasse Tyson Lists 8 (Free) Books Every Intelligent Person Should Read |

And speaking of thinking about thinking, I like this list. I have read some but not all of these titles. Clear thinking is a craft to me as well as a joy. These are the kinds of books and ideas that help me.