Apr. 12

We are back home in NJ, and the weather seems to be cooperating.  After church today, we got out on the property to do some spring cleanup.  The back yard was bathed in glorious sunshine, and somewhat less glorious dog poop.  Of all the functions Logan has lost, the ability to poop is clearly not one of them.  When I begin to think that's a bad thing, Paul reminds me that the 93 year old woman he is working for right now has just the opposite problem; and that is very definitely worse.  The woman is the mother of an old friend of ours, who needed someone to help with her mom's care while she goes out to work.  Paul is going to college, and has a lighter schedule this semester, so he is getting quite a few hours, and lots of experience in elder care.  He says it will serve him well when he has to take care of me!  I told him I've put in for a sudden departure, rather than a long, slow demise; but you never know.
Anyway, this will be my last blog entry for a while, because nobody wants to hear me rattle on very long about the poop in my back yard.  So until we hit the road again...

Apr. 7

Yesterday we said goodbye to Denise and Daytona to start the return trip to New Jersey.  We have been assured by our son that the snow has finally melted; even though the temperature has not yet returned to the civilized levels that are required by the terms of my contract.  When we get home, I may just stay inside until the number on the thermometer matches the number on the thermostat.  The baseball season has begun, and I can watch the Mets play on TV while wearing my shorts and Florida-print short sleeve shirt.  So that is the plan at present.
We made a stop tonight in South Carolina to see an old friend of ours.  Fran was the first, and best, friend that Lorraine made on her own after moving down to New Jersey with me after we married nearly 35 years ago.  She became like a sister to her; which Lorraine really needed, having left all her other friends and family behind to come and share my life by moving into my world.  Fran was a steadying influence, and a great role model for a newly married bride.  I'm quite sure she saved my marriage several times by explaining to Lorraine that (whatever it was) "that's just how men are!"
As often happens, our lives move us on, and apart; and we are no longer in daily contact with those who have been so important to us.  Fran, whose husband of 53 years, died just a year ago this month, is now living with her daughter in a suburb of Charleston.  While heading north, we realized we were going to be passing nearby; and gave her a call to see if she was up for a visit. 
She was; and as I write this, we are staying with her here in her house tonight after having had a great visit this afternoon catching up on each other's lives.  Fran's daughter is the same age as our daughter, and they were friends too in those early years of our marriage; so it was great to see her again, and to meet her own 9 year old daughter.
This evening we all went into Charleston for dinner, and had a chance to look around that beautiful city for the first time.  They are heading south to Disneyland tomorrow to meet up with some of Fran's other grandkids; and Lorraine and I will be headed in the opposite direction, to meet up with a certain canine whose name is on the masthead of this here blog.

Apr. 4

After another day at the beach yesterday (which was no day at the beach, let me tell you); we went today to yet another FLEA/FARMER'S market today.  I've included a few pictures of some of the "must-have" items that were on sale there.  I'll be here for a couple more days, in case you decide that you want me to pick up one of the following for you:

  (Sweet red wine that makes your muscles grow)



   (Boots that you cannot drive in)






































(Marijuana leaf "smoking pants")




  (Denise, some old codger, Lorraine)