Happy Birthday Sweet Sixteen

We just returned from our friend Minnie's birthday party. She turned 90 and is still going strong. She is a beautiful woman and full of life with interests and things that give her joy. Minnie is mother to my friend Laura and my friend in her own right. We were both members of the Temple Bat Mitzvah class last year and both sit on the board of Hadassah. Recently we had a date for the symphony and sometimes we get to spend time together or share a meal. I always find a nugget of knowledge or a good laugh.

We're only as old as we act. Our bones may creak and we may not be as spry as we once were, but loving life and people keeps us young.

Happy Birthday Minnie and many more!

By the Sea....

By the sea, by the sea, by the beautiful sea.... Tonight was our welcome home bash organized by Carol Rosenberg. We met at Folly Field on HHI and enjoyed food and good conversation. The weather was iffy, but we had a window of opportunity for clear weather and took it. A great time was had by all and we are so happy to be back and among dear friends.

Memories

This is the Dragon Wagon. The ride goes out every morning at 9:30 and each evening at 7:00. Jeff and I hosted the wagon on Monday and Tuesday and it was always lots of fun. We had three mascots dressed in furry costumes. Splash, the dolphin, Tubby, the turtle, and Magic, the dragon. Tubby is afraid of spiders and we always sang Itsy, Bitsy Spider to torment him.

It is very hot inside the costumes and several young adults usually wore them. We did have some camper adults who helped out and one night I was Splash, the dolphin. The costume was fun and there was lots of screening in the head piece to look out and get air. Halfway through the ride my right eye started to tear and then my left eye. I could not stop crying and began to get choked up and couldn't breathe. It was terrible and I was blinded by the tears. I just kept thinking it will be over soon. Finally the ride finished and then I had to hug all the kids and pose for photos. OMG - it was quite a disaster for me and I never again volunteered to wear a costume. But, it was fun being in the dolphin suit and adored by all the kids.

Spiderman, Spiderman

We have a new pal - a Golden Silk Spider, better known as a banana spider. She is amazing and we watch her with much interest. When we got home I noticed her in a large web hanging on the outside of our screened porch. I am very brave since she is outside and I am inside. She is very good looking and about 3 inches total including her long, striped legs. Her body is dark with yellow spots and she is very busy. The web is about 4 feet around and she constantly rebuilds it. We've had some severe rains and wind and she hides while the web is blown around and then repairs and adds to it. She is quite aware of me and Ziggy and doesn't flinch when we observe her from inside the porch. When we go outside and get too close she runs high up on the web and waits until we leave to come down.

This morning she has a dragon fly in the web and it is decomposing. Yesterday she devoured some kind of small bug and I saw two more insects in the web. Most interesting is a thick zig zag pattern in the center of the web where she hangs out. I read on Wikipedia that her silk is the strongest thread known. Also read that her venom can give quite a reaction, although not fatal to humans. Pretty amazing. Tomorrow the exterminator is coming and I'll have him move her to a tree near our porch. She is very interesting, but the web kinda creeps me out.

Chatanooga Choo Choo

We've been back three days and it's as if we were never away. We drove all day Wednesday and slept in a rest area at the top of South Carolina. Thursday morning we arrived home before noon and spent the afternoon schlepping things from the RV into the house. It was a frenzy of laundry, sorting and putting everything away. Luckily the heat wasn't too oppressive and we took the RV to the parking lot and felt a sense of relief.

Went to lunch at Jeff's favorite "wing" place and a quick stop at the grocery store. It felt so good to take a shower with good water pressure and climb into our king size bed. Ziggy was the happiest as she stretched out on the bed between us.

On Friday we slept late and I walked on the nature trail. It is hot and humid and feels much more hot and humid than in Pennsylvania. The sun just seems to be closer here and your skin burns as soon as you walk out of the air conditioning. We had a lunch date with Laura and Michael and went to another of Jeff's favorite places, "Squat and Gobble." The waitress walked up to the table and said to Jeff, "How was your camp?" She remembered all the details he had told her of our summer job and brought him his usual order of a pork chop sandwich and diet coke without him ordering. (Don't ask about the sandwich - lots of fat and calories) We enjoyed catching up on all the news and laughing with dear friends.

I actually cooked dinner for us and then I went to services and sang with the choir. There were only five of us singing so I was needed even if I was out of practice with some of the newer tunes. It was good to see so many old friends and be welcomed back so warmly.

Saturday we were up early and at an all day rehearsal for Follies. We have missed practicing all summer and need to attend every rehearsal from now until the show opens on September 14th. I had been practicing my lines all summer and forgot many of them when I got on stage. Oh well! I'm in one comedy sketch and sing back up for two musical numbers - "Chatanooga Choo Choo" and "Charlie and the MTA." Still have to put together costumes. Jeff is doing a comedy skit and one solo song. We loved the rehearsal and seeing all the theatre folks.

We were invited out to dinner and it was a Trenton High mini-reunion. Jan and Harvey Trabb had Joe Ott, an old friend, visiting who was also a dear friend of mine. So we had me from the class of '67. Harvey, Joe and Dick Willever, class of '66 and Phyllis Willever, class of '64. Hinda '59 and Marty Klinghoffer '55 rounded out the Trenton group. When we made a toast we broke into song - "Here's to Trenton High School, the red and black....." Luckily Hinda, Phyllis and I were all on Black Team so we all yelled "mostly black." Don't ask if you don't want a huge lecture about Sports Night and school spirit. Anyway we talked about old friends and teachers and it was great.

Like I said, "It's as though we were never away."

If You're Happy and You Know It

Just finished our last wagon ride and the title song was sung each time. The kids love it and so do I. We are packed and ready to roll in the morning. Weather was gorgeous today and a joy to be outside. Said goodbyes to all that mattered and lots of fond memories. Campers who were especially nice made me feel happy. All in all campers are a pleasant bunch who always wave and say hello.

Tonight we averted a tragedy as Jeff was struck by a kid riding one of our rental three wheelers. These are cool bikes where you lie down to ride. Anyway this kid came barreling behind Jeff on a hill and crashed into his back. Jeff fell backwards onto him and then rolled off. Several campers came running to his aid and got him up. He came home full of dirt and leaves and a bit shaken up, but no blood. He is going to be very sore in the morning and I hope that is all.

So our summer job is over and we are going home.

Rain Rain Go Away

Two more days and then we leave. Hooray! It has been raining for two days now and it is gloomy and depressing. Our Sunday schedule has Jeff and me escorting RV's to their camp sites and it is a fun assignment. Luckily the rain had stopped when we started work and then it began to pour. We were each in a golf cart all afternoon with no side curtains. I sat in a damp raincoat on a soggy towel and prayed that I wouldn't catch a cold.

Monday and Tuesday we will work in the bike and boat compound from 9 to 3. We'll also do the Dragon Wagon ride each morning and evening. That's it and then we pack up and go on Wednesday. It has been an interesting summer and should take us two days to get home.