Ventnor. Got there about 10:00 am and followed, more or less, my life line: First, the apartment on Newport Avenue, a ground-floor apartment I lived in until I was three (but was it 20 or 22 North?); the big house on Rosborough Avenue; and Aunt Maggie's and Uncle John's house on Monmouth. Took pictures of all, then turned to St. James.
Oh, sure, now it's called "Trinity Parish," being lumped in with others on Absecon Island, but it'll always be St. James to me. I was reconciled--finally--to having the rectory gone and to an extent, had even accepted the loss of the school. But the convent? That was the last auxiliary building and now there are several monstrosities--million dollar houses--in its place. What a shock; even though I knew it had happened, to see the change was distressing. I did have my picture taken at Monseigneur Moran's grave (the only one on Absecon Island, which my late husband helped to dig) and in front of the statue of the Blessed Virgin.
Walked 3.3 miles on the boardwalk and Atlantic Avenue and took pictures of what used to be the Ventnor City National Bank. That was the location of my first full-time job after high school and before I got married. There are two buildings, one now condos and the other housing a real estate agency.
Aside from all that, I had packed a lunch and ate it in the small park in front of the library. Years ago, when it was being built, I had paid to have Pat's and my names on a brick, which was with other in the park. I've seen it before and could swear it was correctly spelled, but what I saw yesterday was "Pat and Rosemary Byrne Molly." What? Now I wonder if the original had been damaged in some way--I noticed the wording on this one was not very clear--and they replaced it. I may or may not pursue this.
I intended to put pictures here, but my camera/laptop didn't cooperate. Will try to do so today.
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