I begin July with a visit to the Dentist. It is not one of the things I see as making it a memorable month. Our dentist is one of those who cater to cowards. It is so advertised by some dentists here in St. Pete’s, but he does so without advertising. It is more pleasurable to look back to our travels of May.
Our stay in Somerdale section of Philly for 10 days or so, child sitting, Kelly and Matthew Golden, had one dividend. I was able to purchase the N.Y. Times at the Wawa nearby. In one issue it had a column by one of my favorite humorists, Russell Baker. He was ruminating over the fact that the new millionaires were now seeking his home in Nantucket (though run down and in need of repair) for some $900,000. He goes on, “Some people keep a child or two in college, poor devils. Instead, I keep a house in Nantucket. It’s a lot cheaper…it is also easier on the spirit. A house never treats you with contempt for saying it ought to be studying Latin, instead of post modernist influences on television sitcoms.” Amen.
We did not start out to spend six weeks on the road. We had thought sometime in the future we would spend some time in the summer up the coast. We talked of maybe a return to Myrtle Beach or a new spot or a short visit up to the old haunts of Philly. What changed all this planning was a nephew getting married in May. The marriage was to take place somewhere up in North Jersey. So we reasoned since we would be up there, why not hop on over to Connecticut and New York to pay a visit to Joe & Debbie, Dan & Lori, and Andy. But that was before we learned more about the wedding location and the reception. In the meantime, Mike Golden won a cruise for himself and his wife from his employer for his performance. So our plans, not yet really finalized, began with the sitting Matthew and Kelly for the first two weeks of May.
The wedding was in Clark. N. J. It is west of New York City off the Garden State Parkway. The reception was in Point Pleasant N.J. off the same parkway 45 miles away. So we were housed near Point Pleasant and made the 90-mile trip up and back to the wedding. It was a grand affair. The best man, David’s brother, Bryan, a married man and father, had a bit of humor and advice for his younger brother – as he toasted the Bride and Groom, he suggested to David that he peer across the dance floor and see how happy and smiling his parents were. He chided him, “Why not you’re finally out of the house!” He then advised David that he should now look at the Bride, who today became “Mrs. Right”. Just remember, David, you get to say the last two words of any argument: “Yes Dear!”
I was the recipient of the floral centerpiece on our table because it was my Birthday. Now how many guys do you know get flowers for their birthday? I can assure you it was a first for me. I also received cards, good wishes and gifts, but I think I’ll remember this one as the day I got flowers!
Another first at the wedding has to be, watching a bridesmaid walk down the aisle carrying a small child. The bridesmaid was Kim, David’s sister, and the small child was Christopher her almost three year old. He was dressed to the nines and was to have been a ring bearer, but he had other ideas. His Dad was already up front and the same with the grandparents, so Mom picked him up and down the aisle they went. Another first for me was that the Father and Mother of the Bride and Groom were both named “John and Mary”.
Between the wedding rides and the child sitting, we celebrated Mother’s Day. It began with prayers at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church with the twins, their brothers, and parents, and then off to a brunch supreme at the Jarrettown Inn (in Jarrettown, of course). I remembered it as the place once owned by the husband of a client of mine. We helped her get a divorce. He had become a victim of John Barleycorn and IRS, only the former is curable. We met the client several times after the case ended in the recesses of the Academy of Music. We, both she and her mother, and June and I listened to the Philly Pops. These memories of the prior association with the Jarrettown did nothing to impair my appetite. The new owners had a feast prepared. Watching Sean, David, Eric, and Paulie assault the layout was a joy in itself. Any Mother would be happy to see such conduct, and it is no surprise that any Grandfather might likewise be elated.
While at Mike & Cindy’s I had the opportunity to grab a lunch with my old running buddy Bill King. He had the clipping on Brownie Ross. The former Olympian and runner we talked about last month. We chatted about cabbages and kings, runs and things. He mentioned two other running buddies, friends, and clients Frank and Al Wick. They expressed their regrets about not being able to get together with us. Then Bill paid me a great compliment. He said that Frank Wick had inquired of Bill how my life was going down there in the Sunshine State. Bill’s response was, “His life is serene.” I said to Bill, as a guy who loves words, I couldn’t have said it better myself. He concisely labeled the life we now lead. It is one of serenity. I add however, that it is, a “bustling” serenity.
Today I felt like a native. I was working in a patch of plants (mostly weeds) in the front of the house near the corner of Conn. Ave. and Helena St. It was early around 7:30AM. A tractor-trailer stopped and the driver got out looking for directions. He asked where “Indianapolis Ave.” was. I told him just another block down Conn. Ave. Then I noticed the truck said “Park Food Supplies”. I asked if he was looking for “Shore Acres Rehabilitation Center”? He said, “Yes”. “It is just two blocks down on your right on Indianapolis”, said I. I got a big thank you. I went back to work. The quickness of my response made him think, I feel sure, that I lived here all my life! You know like a native Floridian or more precisely, Shore Acre Resident .Now if he asked about a street 4 or 5 blocks further away, it would have taken a bit more thinking, before I would have ventured an answer.
One of the side trips we enjoyed was a visit with the Hopkins, who then took us to one of June’s favorite places Atlantic City. We stayed again at the Tropicana and June did well. We came home with more than we took. I always do well since I just don’t get into the action. We made a side trip on our way out to Harrah’s Marina Casino. It gave me the chance to sit and listen to a quartet in the Atrium. They were a great group and I got to chat with the drummer, a Jim 0′ Connor. I specifically waited for the opportunity to chat with him because of an incident in our Men’s Club here in St. Pete’s. At one of the meetings the Pastor asked each of us to tell where he was in 1980/81.One of the men, Kurt Snider, said he was playing drums in a quartet in Harrah’s Casino. He still plays and plays well. So I inquired of the present drummer if he knew Kurt, but he did not. It still was a great group. The drummer plays most of the time with Ken McBride, himself. McBride played for many years at Busch’s Inn in Townsend’s Inlet. He now performs at a casino in Atlantic City during the summer months.
I have changed jobs but I am still keeping the “L”. I was a “L”awyer, now I’m a “L”awnkeeper. The 5800 square feet of sod is now raging grass. It is growing in leaps and bounds. I have had to cut it within a week. If I don’t do so then I would be continually adjusting the mower up and down. It looks great, but it keeps some of my mornings, once occupied with another “L”, Latin, busy outdoor before the Sun pops over the trees. We have a sprinkler system using reclaimed water, which is full of good nutrients for the grass. So it grows and grows, and, then of course, the cutting helps it grow some more! Incidentally, the reason I know it is 5800 square feet is not that I measured it, but that is the amount of sod we purchased to cover the torn-up-weed-infested soil we had.
June and I continue to be the witnesses to record weather. We now can match the deluges of February and March, with the hottest month on record, June. Note it was not the hottest June, but the hottest month ever…even hotter than their August records. July so far is above average for rainfall so the beat goes on!
Hope all of you are enjoying these summer days. I know some have already had some shore time and others are heading west to view places like Yosemite or east to see Spain. We wish you all well and will try to add a note.
July 15, 1998
Dear Ron and Mary,
The pictures, the pictures…all we have of those guys just seem to get better and better. I enjoyed Paul Jr. writing about how they loved the water at Avalon. I said, yes we know, we were there for their first plunge in their own pool…diapers and all. How was Avalon? Did anyone run in the “Nun’s Run”…or did Ron just get one of the shirts again (?)…Don’t forget to put the “check mark” on it if you didn’t run it!
We thought of the outing we had at Ron’s brother (?)…We were eating boiled potatoes. June had discovered he or his wife cooked them in rock salt. She liked the flavor so much she now does them that way with regular salt.
Hope all goes well with you both on the employment front. If you get a chance drop us an Email to advise whether Aidan and Alex have started their Latin studies yet… Give them a big squeeze from their Pop-pop.
Love, Dad