My morning bus run was very quick today. I was actually home and at mt desk before 10 a.m.
Today is the first time in a very long time where I find myself in the position of being able to catch up.
I am not putting out fires of 1 sort or another. 
I have no demands on my time other than letting my daughter's dogs out and paying a shiva call .
I am not chasing overdue monies or catching up on deadlines of any sort.
Dinner is here and just needs to be prepared.
Besides a conference call with the West Coast and China in a short while, the rest of the day is mine.
As I said, an opportunity to catch up. 
I have some unanswered emails  to catch up on. One goes back to 5/22,which makes me think that this is the first time since Memorial Day that I have an opportunity to catch up with both a clear mind and a clear schedule.
It's kind of refreshing!
Besides the 30 or so archived emails, there are a number of people who I would like to reach out to as well as a number of items that I want to take care of today. 
Although I am not a proponent of to-do lists per se, I do believe that a reminder list is called for. I may not get to every one or every thing. However with out a list I am sure  that something will slip by me.
The shiva call that I will make is to the home of one of my bus patrons. This is the first time since I started driving back in February that I have "lost" a passenger.
Some have left. Some have gone on to alternate care facilities. 
Ellie is the first of my new friends to pass away.
When I took this job 6 months ago, it never dawned on me that I would develop relationships with any of these people.
They were passengers on the bus I happened to be driving. That's it.
It was a job, a paycheck,nothing more.
Little did I know!
So I will pay a shiva call this afternoon. I will not know a sloe there.
I have never mt her family.
They will wonder who this guy is and why is he here I am sure.
All I know is there is a part of me that understands why I must pay my respects.
And I am glad that the day has afforded me to clarity of thought and open schedule that I can choose to carve out a tiny moment in time to follow this.