Fathers Day

Because I've been besieged by my legion of readers (read "Pat R.) to reveal the secret to which I alluded on Saturday's entry, here ya go: I stopped at Jagiesly's(?) Candy and got a box of chocolates for one of my favorite Daddies, the one I used to dandle on my knee, little Mikey, to thank him for two of the great joys of my life, Vivian and Violet.  (Yes, Sister Gabriel, I realize that's a run-on sentence, but I just don't care.)
When I got up, Mike had already been out getting freshly-baked bagels for breakfast (yes, Sister G. I like alliteration, too, so shoot me), which the four of us enjoyed. Shortly after, we said goodbye to Rob and Jan, then M. and I took off south.
We stopped at the cemetery first. I confess it hadn't even occurred to me to suggest it--Fathers Day!--but Mike did, for which I was grateful.  Stopped at Jay's, too, then went off to Sacco Subs North--or whatever, in Absecon.  Oh, so damn good, how will I ever survive on the west coast?
After a leisurely lunch, we doubled back to Hamilton Mall for the real purpose of the mission: pre-teen clothes at Justice, requested by precious Vivian via smart phone.
It's hard to wrap my mind around the fact that this almost-ten-year-old can send pictures of shorts and tops from a catalog to a father ten thousand miles away, and he can receive it on his phone, then select what she wants, and buy it.  But that's what happened; it set him back probably way over half of my yearly clothes budget, but, hey, it's his money.        
Didn't get home until 2:17, exactly the time Mike had predicted, and I quickly prepared for our picnic at Batsto State Forest.  Made a green salad, packed turkey breast and American cheese, pumpernickel, and assorted other this 'n' that, and we jumped back in the car.
It took my friend and her hubby (another wonderful father) longer to get to Batsto, but soon they came roaring up on a motorcycle.  The other three took a short--for them--not quite two-mile hike on one of the trails, but I begged off, as my leg has been bothering me a bit.
When they came back, we unpacked, my friend added a terrific black bean salad (with avocado), plus fruit, and other stuff, and we had a good sort-of dinner--it was about 5:00 by then--under the trees.
After food and talk--the best combination ever, as people throughout history have decided, it seems to me--we parted.  They roared off, we went home, both showered, I changed my bed, we got to Ellen on Skype, the little girls in Singapore sent much love to their Dad, and it was a fine day overall.
Signing off, Sister Gabriel.