Over the past coupe of weeks since we returned home it has been a whirlwind of activity. Lots of things have happened, not big things but just everyday things that have seemed to eat up a lot of the days like a time sucking hungry monster. For Fathers Day Carol and I took our normal Sunday morning hike, starting at a local diner for breakfast. We found a new (and very short) hike in Rehoboth, a neighboring town where Carol grew up and where we lived for over 25 years, in a house that we designed and built. I didn't get to see either of my kids on fathers day as my son is in Portland, Oregon and my daughter was admitted into the hospital. Apparently she had flu induced pneumonia - she remained there for over a week, and on Fathers Day didn't feel like any company.
Our Grandkids went off to the other Grandparents house, so Carol and I were left to our own devices. I did have a good chat with my son Jason, who I am very happy for and proud of, as he just recently accepted an offer at a new agency in Portland. He is sort of following in the old man's footsteps, as he is a graphics guy too, and is doing much better than me these days.
The following weekend we had the second annual 5K Road Race celebrating the life of our dear friend Paul who passed a couple of years ago. Carol and I don't run the race but walk it. The race raises funds for a scholarship in Paul's name. I think I heard that we had over 400 participants this year, but whatever the number it is heart warming to se too many people show up for the event. However the planning here at home for the event included me making a new fence for the back yard as we always have quite a gathering of hungry thirsty and talkative people back to the house after the race.
I made the mistake of mentioning that the back gate need some repair, which of course Carol heard as 'I am going to build a whole new fence by Friday!' -- Just the sort of incentive I need to get a project off the ground. I am always amazed at the quality of wood available at the big box home improvement stores -- it is all crap, and expensive crap at that. I was going to make my own pickets for the fence part but just cheap pine would have cost a fortune and as you all may know I am a cheap bugger. I found individual stockade pickets forsale in the garden department for about a buck each, figured out that I needed 42 of them, got some pine , some pressure treated 2x4's and a bucket of stainless steel screws and set to work. The design started on a piece of paper with a pence and was developed further in a 3D program so I could really visualize the final appearance and get accurate measurements. It all worked out, not by Friday, but late Saturday afternoon.
Of course during the week there were many other things to attend to and lots of tips to the hospital to visit with Megan and of course I came down with a cold/flu/thing so was slower than usual. Carol had work, meetings and doctors appointments and was juggling all the plans for the after race party. This was a busy week. Friday afternoon I heard from my friend Jean. Now as far as I knew Jean and her husband Darryl were in the Azores after sailing across from Bermuda. This is the couple we sailed across the Atlantic with back in 1998.
Jean called and said she was in Denver picking up Tundra, their Chow puppy. She was flying Friday night into New York, getting a car and driving to Boston to fly over to Terceira in the Azores to meet up with Darryl and their boat Skagerrak. We invited her to stop by on Saturday as we are only about 5 minutes off of her route to Logan Airport in Boston. What a great visit we had - it was too good to catch up and hear of their crossing. We had a good time reminiscing of the time we crossed together aboard their schooner Sheba Moon. Jean and Darryl have been to Horta, a town on the island of Faial, three times now and it is custom when you arrive aboard a private boat that you paint a 'badge' on the famed wall at the marina. I had the pleasure of painting it back in 1998 and Jean has now adjusted and repainted this badge twice.
Sunday, race day, turned out to be just perfect weather, not too hot and overcast so you didn't bake in the sun. Carol beat me to the finish line, no surprise there but I finished in under an hour which I considered fine for walking the 3.2 miles. After the walk we had over 25 people back to the house for snacks. Carol had made a delicious fruit salad, I attempted a lemon braided bread which turned out OK and everyone seemed to bring something spectacular... the small gathering turned into a feast. It is always so good to get together with friends, and this gathering was no exception. We see some of these folks far too infrequently, so it was good to catch up, and the conversations went on and on.
Around 1:30 we booted everyone out as my daughter Megan called with good news, she was being discharged from the hospital.
Carol and I did a very quick cleanup and went off to the hospital to pick her up. She seemed in good spirits although the Doctors told her to get lots of rest and not to go back to work for at least a week and then only part time. We had been so worried all week but it is turning out just fine, gotta love modern medicine. another week has passed since then, and she is feeling much better today as I write this, and she is going back to work on Monday.
