O, Canada

I went to a game at Rogers Centre. The Jays beat the Rangers 5-2.Monday’s game in Detroit will be game number 20 on day 40. Wow, ten more parks to go. I have turned some significant geographic corners. Miami was the farthest South. Boston was the farthest East and North. The only “corner” left is San Francisco which will be the farthest West. I have seen some gorgeous country and have been subjected to some pretty boring scenery. I have been to a foreign land and I have been to some places which seem pretty foreign. The most important part of this trip has been meeting some very nice people and getting reacquainted with some folks I have not seen for years, including my cousin Don in Florida. Unfortunately I missed my son, Mike’s wedding Saturday. Too many factors were stacked against me to make it back to Ione and return to Toronto or wherever I would have left Shirley. I now have another wonderful daughter-in-law. My brother Scott stood in for me and sent me some pictures of the bride and groom, Heather made a beautiful bride. The groom was OK. No, actually they were both very handsome. May they have a hundred happy years together.

Shirley has been wonderful. While I had a layover in Pennsylvania, the great guys at Gregory’s Auto Service took care of her. Pete, Scott, and Lee made sure she was roadworthy by changing her oil, giving her a general service and going over the cooling system with a fine toothed comb. They found the hose going from the radiator to the reservoir was too short and they replaced it. She hasn’t leaked a drop of coolant. Thank you, thank you, thank you. If you are ever near Honesdale, PA, stop in and let the guys take care of your car or motor home. I also have to thank Jack who made all the arrangements and his wife for housing me during my layover.

Phyllis flew into Pennsylvania on last Thursday but our itineraries did not allow for a conjugal visit. I guess I have to wait until I get back from Seattle to see her. We talk on the phone and by email but 63 days is a long time to be apart. At least it is for me. Our 25-year marriage has been a series of long distance arrangements but it has never been 63 straight days. The title of the last post should have been “Lack of Sex, Drugs, and Rock ‘n Roll.” Jackson Browne summed up the sex part in one of his songs from his “Running on Empty” album in the early ‘70s. The Kansas cop and crossing the border twice scared me enough to make sure I didn’t even have extra strength aspirin on board. I do have to admit there has been some rock ‘n roll but most of it has been Shirley rocking and rolling over some pretty rough road.

I am doing some laundry, which is almost done, and then I am going to give Shirley a sponge bath before I head off to the Tiger game.