Picked Betty up at 11:00, drove back home, and we had lunch. I had assembled a big salad to take to Alison's, and we left about 3:00. Drove through a few downpours that were short, but intense--like some human lives, I guess--and arrived an hour later.
The Phillips Four went to Joel's Dad's place, so it was just the five of us, plus Mike's son and his family. We know and like Rob, Lisa, and little Lindsay and Lucas, and were glad to see them. Mike showed Betty around their big yard and the addition which, of course, she admired, even including the apiaries.
As ever, Alison served a great summer dinner: buffalo meat hamburgers, hot dogs, baked beans, devilled eggs, and potato salad, preceded by cold shrimp and cocktail sauce. These weren't the tasteless, already cooked kind, either; she had bought fresh, and cooked and deveined them herself, even taking off the pesky little tails. With old-fashioned brewed iced tea, my green salad, and a wonderful cold broccoli dish* Lisa brought, it was a luscious meal. We topped it off with apple crisp drizzled with caramel sauce and Cool Whip Lisa had mixed, incredibly, with chai tea--sounds weird, but tasted great.
It cleared and we were able to eat on the deck. After dinner, the guys opened their Father's Day gifts and we chatted until about 7:30, then left. When we got home, we found a message on the machine from Patrick, wishing Pat a happy Fathers' Day. He always remembers and so did Ellen, who had called while I was down getting Betty. She also sent a CD of some guy named Sinnacue or Sintana, or something--he was from Hoboken and I think his first name was Frank.
After I poured my wine, and while Betty and I were chatting, Mike called to wish Pat the sentiments of the day, so all four checked in to talk to their Dad.
The downer of the day was Pat's very evident respiratory distress in getting in the car, going up Alison's four steps, then walking through the house to the deck. When we left, he had to reverse the process, of course, and it was a terrible ordeal for him. After he got to his chair in the living room, he asked me to open the window (the A.C. was on, but I didn't care) and get the fan to blow on him. I did and after he sat for awhile, he was better--but oh, how terrible it was to see him struggle to breathe for so long. Betty suggested he increase the oxygen flow, but he refused and damn, he has to be the one to decide this. It was a somber ending to the day, but the situation is what it is. I don't often mention Pat's illness here, but it can't ever be ignored.
We didn't get to bed until after 10:00 and I slept like a log. Didn't get up until 6:00, but that's okay. I had called Susan to say I wouldn't walk today; am going on the boardwalk hike after dropping Betty off. Leslie's going with me, then we'll meet Betty for lunch.