I quickly took this photo this morning, not realizing until I took it that we’re coming up on the fourth anniversary of Scout’s passing. I know because it was less than four months after I lost my dad.

Can’t go there right now. I just read the post I wrote the day after Scout died and was in tears.

Let’s see. What’s new? Not a whole lot, though today and tomorrow, I have Skype coaching sessions with the cast of Jane Eyre. Fingers crossed that we have a good connection! Most of the afternoon today will be devoted to checking in with the actors. Next week, I drive back to Hartford for the day to watch a run-through. The following week, I go back for one night to watch a preview and give notes the next day. And then I’m done.

I’m reading The Night Circus, which I find utterly fascinating. It’s very different than my usual fare and I’m enjoying the change of pace.

I had to call our local post office and complain about one of the carriers yesterday and I never like doing that. Our main carrier is wonderful. The guy who substitutes for her is nice, as well. He always delivers the mail on Monday. I was expecting a priority mail package yesterday. I took note of the time he delivered mail across the street and quickly calculated that he’d be coming by our house in 2 or 2 1/2 hours. I told Don that I was going to be on stand-by around that time because I knew the box was too big for our mailbox and for some reason, I didn’t trust that this particular carrier would deliver it. Sure enough, when he approached our mailbox, he put envelopes in our mail box and started to drive on. I ran outside and sprinted toward his truck. He had just finished putting mail in our neighbor’s box and was starting to drive away. I was shouting loudly (all that voice training pays off) and he heard me and stopped, pulling up in our neighbor’s driveway. When I asked him if he had a package for me, he pulled it out of the truck, saying that he was wary of driving up our driveway. There’s no snow. No ice. The driveway was totally clear. It’s just a gentle slope. And he’s done it before. I assured him he could drive up there, turn around at the top and go back down quite easily. He thanked me for stopping him and I moved on. I would have let it go at that point, but when I went to the mailbox to get the rest of the mail, I discovered that he hadn’t even left a yellow slip saying that he had attempted delivery. That’s what did it for me. How would I have known what happened to the package? And it had a tracking number on it, so it was clearly supposed to be delivered that day.

I called the post office and explained the whole thing, making sure to say that he’s a nice guy and please don’t be too hard on him, but really…that was ridiculous. Our usual mail carrier will often pull up to the box, tap on the horn, and wait for me to emerge from the house. Or, if we’re not there, she’ll pull up in the driveway and leave the package on the porch. I told the supervisor that we’re semi-retired and there’s almost always someone here.

Anyway, the supervisor was kind and understanding and assured me he’d be gentle with the carrier. Gosh, I hate complaining about anyone.

Sigh.

It’s not like we live on top of a mountain, although it feels that way sometimes when we’re shoveling snow!

Okay. Hopefully, that won’t happen again.

Happy Tuesday.