August 2005

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Lately it's been the case that my weeks have tired me out just enough that I have done next to nothing on the weekends. That's definitely true this weekend. I've done a minimal amount of housework, and made a list of things I need to get at the grocery store. I've done a tiny bit of work on a freelance project. Other than that, I've been Ms. Lazy.

* * * * * * * * * * *

The attorney with whom I work most closely did a presentation for a local company on estate planning, and brought in a lot of new clients from that. It was arranged that there would be several trips made to the company's offices to let people sign their documents, then said documents would be brought back to the office (aka me for this purpose) to get processed.

And that has accounted for the majority of the paperwork that has been on my desk this summer. I had some help with it, but I've done the majority of the work. And I'm glad to see the project winding down. It's rather overwhelming to have that many documents coming at you at once.

But I'll tell you what really isn't a secret. I love doing my supporting role with those documents. I particularly like the preparation of them. Working with those documents is probably my favorite part of the job, even on days when the stack of documents is taller than I am.

Memories Triggered - August 27

I just watched Ross McElwee's "Bright Leaves," on PBS. It was interesting to me for the story he told, but also for the places he filmed it; places I know quite well in North Carolina.

The documentary has to do with two families and tobacco in North Carolina, and with the movie, Bright Leaf. Incidentally, "bright leaf" is a type of tobacco. And as I watched, I had some old home week moments.

Bright Leaf, the movie, was based on the novel by Foster FitzSimons. Foster and his wife Marion were longtime residents of Chapel Hill, but I met them another place and time, when they were active in the outdoor drama, Unto These Hills, which I saw the two summers I spent in school at Western Carolina when I was a child.

During the first of those summers I met someone at Western who had lived for a time with the FitzSimonses when she was in school in Chapel Hill. It seemed they had a huge house very near campus, and rented a few of the rooms to college students. The second person I knew who lived in their home was also a friend of their son. It was through my friend's invitation that I was a guest there one evening.

Time passed. Foster died, and Marion sold the house. I last saw her at a party in 1994, at the home of the same friend who had invited me to the FitzSimonses home. Marion and I had a brief trip down memory lane that day, talking of people we had in common.

Marion wound up being interviewed by Ross McElwee for "Bright Leaves." Her contribution of information changed the scope of the work. And that's as close to a spoiler as I'll give.

I'm glad I watched.