Apologies.

My time and writing discipline (at least online) has been awful. I'm sorry. Here's what's going on in Modesto.

First, Alonzo. He's alright, relatively speaking. He's himself again. He's been staying at a motel with his girlfriend Tammy. The good thing that's come of this is getting to know him a little more. He's a good man. He struggles with drinking. He's a Vietnam veteran. He's not going to be just "pulling things together" and getting a job anytime soon, but he's a good man.

Arley is a good man. He's not getting a job and a regular life anytime soon, either. Just not gonna happen. What he can have is friendship and peace and a good relationship with God. I'm hoping he can find that a little more each day.

"Chrissy-love" is a little girl who lives at the Budget Motel. She's been there with her mom and uncle and siblings since I moved here. I don't think Uncle Rudy particularly wants to leave there. I'm thinking the kids might want to, though. They're not choosing to be there. Chrissy-love asked us to pray with her on Friday. We stood in a circle and held hands with Chrissy and her sisters and brother. They liked that a lot. Her brother told me he saw an angel once. Of course he did. He's probably surrounded by them.

And I'm trying to find my heart. It gets a little lost every fall.