My first semester as a teacher in H is winding down. I’ll have thirteen days off to contemplate my navel and to grade the one hundred and thirty finals I am giving next week. Grades are due when we come back. I’m really not sure what to do about H. I like my coworkers, like the district, but the housing situation is just a disaster, plus there is the economics of debt. I am underemployed. I looked at two more houses on Friday and they just aren’t right…

Anyway, we’ve had some interesting doings this week. Ajax, our cat, got very sick and Jes took him in to the vet. They told her he had a high fever and there were three possibilities: he had a virus; he had an intestinal blockage, for which they took two x-rays and contemplated surgery; or he had a progressive genetic disorder that was going to kill him. Luckily it turned out to be the virus, two hundred and some odd dollars later. That cuts into the Christmas budget a bit.

Our land lady Kathy and her mother wanted to take us to dinner for cat sitting while they were in Europe, but as we were on sick cat watch it was decided that we’d walk up to South Grand for some Mexican take out. On they way home, warmed by the margaritas, we were taken a little by surprise when a ten year old kid tried to steal Kathy’s purse. He was walking behind us like he wanted to pass us and then he suddenly made a grab for the bag. She did not let go and instead she hit him with it and he ran off. It wasn’t really a scary mugging; it was more humorous and strange. All this talk of St. Louis’ crime rate has apparently emboldened the neighborhood youth. This incident happened right in front of the house, kinda makes you want to come visit doesn’t it.

It’s an odd thing to get used to. I was obviously upset when my car was stolen, but I got it back more or less unharmed. I was more indifferent when my BBQ grill went missing, in part because I had two – seemed more of a natural distribution of wealth thing. Is it the Helsinki syndrome to blame yourself for the theft? I mean after all, I didn’t lock the grill up so I must have deserved the theft. Getting pseudo mugged by a ten year old in front of our apartment is just a depressing new item to add to our list. The guy that did the rehab of the building next door wants four hundred thousand for the house, in part to recoup all the tools that were stolen while he was rebuilding it. If they really want to revitalize St. Louis they should hire a few more cops. At they same time, after the purse grabbing we didn’t call anyone, because what would be the point.