Louder Than Ever in General

You were there in the front seat,
Windows down we were burning,
It was just like a movie scene,
Those dashboard lights,
And your pale blue eyes cutting through me…
-Daughtry, “Louder Than Ever”

I had to make three trips to Mireya’s new house, which is a little over a mile down the road from where she was living before. I took over some of her remaining clothes, a small vanity, and a knick-knack organizer. Gotta hand it to Elmhurst. The house is incredible. ADA compliant from top to bottom. Standby generator. The furnace is in a fireproof compartment. Six (large) bedrooms, four full bathrooms, two offices. And 3500 square feet of storage in the basement. Oh, and the driveway is paved.

Coming back up Middlesex Road I passed the turnoff for Audrey’s house and I felt the pull. But I resisted.

I can still see those pale blue eyes cutting through me…

Well. I am wrangling approvals from both New Day USA and Androscoggin Bank. I finally talked with the owner of this development, and he prefers to work with Androscoggin, and he looped his specialist there into the phone call. Mostly it all just overwhelmed me, because I don’t know what to do. Good news is I got in under the wire and I have a verbal agreement with the owner to buy for 205K as is, except they need to put in a new furnace. When the Navy built these townhouses they weren’t built to sell, so every two units share a furnace. That won’t work, and causal observation of my next door neighbors, I wouldn’t want to share utilities with them. They have three air conditioners than run 24/7 from May until October. I only turn my A/C on when I am in the room, the temperature is above 80F and the humidity is above 65%. Until then I use fans.

This will be an adventure.

Just act “as if…”

I decided to keep the green flight suits. I figured after I sort out buying this place I will volunteer as an observer in the Civil Air Patrol. Veterans keep their last rank, so I would transition from being LCDR Duke, to Major Duke. One thing at a time.

Well, the COVID finally hit my family. My aunt Jackeye is in the ICU in Alabama. Not good, not good at all. She has more co-morbidities than you can shake a stick at. Morbidly obese, diabetes, lifelong smoker, COPD, high blood pressure. In her late 70s. My Dad was in the middle of the pack of 7 kids, four boys with him being the youngest boy, then three girls. Jackeye is the youngest. It’s only Dad, Uncle Sonny, and Jackeye left. I feel bad for Dad. He doesn’t show worry. Born and raised in Alabama in the 40s and 50s, then career military. Worry runs off him like water off a duck. I am a lot like him, but even when I don’t outwardly show it, I have concerns.

I alternately love/hate it when Audrey gets back in my head. It’s been too long, but she was my last love. I can’t forget the way she loved me.

We spent that whole summer long
You and me in the moonlight
Chasin’ dreams in a fast machine
No way that it could go wrong
When it all felt so right
Real-life California queen
How can I forget all of the ways that you loved me?</I?

Last updated September 14, 2021