Had a wonderful time at Alison's last night, in celebration of grandson Joel's 25th birthday (which is actually today). There were just she and Mike, Joel and Joely, and Pat and me--Jen had to work. After the crowds and mobs over the holidays, enjoyable as they were, this was fun. The dinner was simple, but delicious, and I was hungry. Alison made two kinds of meatloaf, one with raisins (I had some of both), catfish (I had some of that, too), homemade scalloped potatoes, corn, and lima beans (I was supposed to bring broccoli, but forgot). Of course, she had a birthday cake (Joel's favorite ice cream cake), too, with candles and we all sang "Happy Birthday." We just had such a relaxed and happy good time. Little Joely, who's 4, is so funny. When I hugged and kissed him, he remarked seriously, "You know, I just shaved." We had given him as a little off-hand gift, a play shaving set, complete with foam and big Joel said he "shaves" every morning--just like his Dad. We had a pleasant discussion about the name for the new baby--Juliette is a possibility, and so is Jayla--I like both of them. Luckily, their last name "Phillips" goes with almost anything. As for a boy, they haven't hit on anything they both like yet. Incidentally, they do want another "J." Just like my niece, Joan, and her family--Jim, Joey, and Jeremy--they're going all the way with the initials "JR."
Mike added to Vivian's web site a lot of wonderful pictures of their stay in the states: Jersey at our house, Colorado, and New York. Greatly enjoyed them and want to get some printed.
Earlier in the day, I went to Ventnor to an "estate sale." It was in an apartment, not a house, on New Haven Avenue, just off Ventnor Ave., and featured mediocre, over-priced crap I wouldn't buy on a bet. It was VERY warm--72 degrees, I found out later--and I walked around a bit.
I felt like a ghost. I walked past 3 women who were smoking outside a beauty salon and none of them looked at me, so I conceived the idea that I was invisible. Maybe I was just visiting from the grave. After all, here were the ever-so-familiar scenes of my childhood, but altered: The store that used to be the bakery is a lawyer's office; the fish place isn't there anymore; the Bihlmiers haven't lived on Newport Avenue for years...
Well, I was making myself nervious, so I turned around, got in the car, and drove back to 2007.
But that kind of thing is fun every once in a while, don't you think?
TUESDAY
I started off the morning with some annoying problems with Amazon Japan re Christmas gifts, but I don't want to go into detail. Left at...
2 comments:
What you call a 'simple' meal would be a banquet if I were preparing it. Wow! Alison sounds like she takes after you in the dinner party dept.
I am still amazed at your stamina....over to Ventnor...walking around the old area and then up to Alison's for dinner.
I share your feelings about the 'old neighborhood'. I feel the same when I show Rich where HSHS used to be. The whole Inlet is changed and my old house is gone. I always get depressed when I drive around AC and say I'm never coming back again, but I always do.
Another thought...hope you don't mind my rambling on YOUR blog. When I went to Holy Spirit it was my whole life and the only years that it meant something to me were those years when "I" was there. It was MY school and the earlier and later folks who happened to go there were guests in MY school. How's that for solipsism?
Of course you are included with the 'real' HS folks because you were there when I was. I guess it's similar to going back to Ventnor etc.
Off to read to the visually impaired....aren't I special?
Pat, I know you meant it satirically, but you ARE special. I read your blog every day, and I understand you have some "health issues" as the current denial mechanism jargon has it. Yet you lead an active life, enjoy living, and do a lot of good, too. After my arthritic knee mysteriously disappeared--well, not my knee, but the arthritic part--I've had no problems in getting around. Maybe my worse problem is being unable to be as active as I'd like (travel, etc.) because of personal commitments.
Anyway, thanks for your comment. Interestingly, I never felt the closeness and belongingness at or for H.S.H.S. as I always did and continue to do for St. James and Ventnor. Guess there can be only a single number one "my place." The others have to be close seconds.
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