“God what am I supposed to do? There’s more than miles in my
rearview”
-Brantley
Gilbert
It’s been a helluva ride this summer. I had planned to try
to fit my entire five week trip back to New Jersey into one post, but it proved
impossible. Too many things happened! I’m back in Bullhead now, the meetings
finished, the classroom prepped, and ready to go for another year of 7th
grade!
So…here we go. In order (mostly) of how they happened.
1.
Sean, Morgen, and Brian came to get me in
Philly, and we stopped in Cherry Hill for breakfast at Amy’s Omelette House…Fantastic.
Recommended.
2.
Bacation! (In Jayden’s Parlance)
a.
So good to see everyone, spend time with Eric,
drink beer and smoke cigars with Dad, enjoy Colleen’s brews (and time with
her), play with Jayden, meet Jeanine, and make a beer zipline. Oh yes.
A beer
zipline. Dad’s idea, actually…we cut the top off a wicker tiki torch, wired on a bottom, made a handle, and strung a
line from the top deck of the Bacation house to the pool deck. Voila! Beer carrier!
b.
Jayden
i.
Buries Colleen in pillows on the couch and
declares “When Uncle Mike comes back he will say ‘MY BABY IS GONE’” Where does
he come up with this stuff?
ii.
Nails two holes in one playing Mini Golf.
Legitimate holes in one. Took him for ice cream, of course!
iii.
Hides from Jeanine and declares that he’s “allergic
to girls who laugh more than Colleen” (he did eventually make nice.)
c.
Cigars on the deck with Dad and Eric! Spent the
week grilling dinner and smoking cigars and drinking beer with Dad and Eric. One
night, after dinner, Dad said “Give everyone a drink and a cigar and it levels
the playing field. Everyone’s an equal.” What a statement. It’s nice to see my
relationship with my dad change into a friendship. He’s a good friend! We sat
out on the deck after dinner most nights, the three of us, joked and laughed as
friends and as family. What a wonderful thing!
d.
Colleen’s Brews:
i.
A killer Black IPA
ii.
An even better Heffeweizen. Wow. What a brew!
3.
Week Three:
a.
One big thing happened in week three. Smithbauer
got a call from his doctor. The cancer seems to have been…I don’t want to say
defeated…but maybe put on the mat. The chemo and radiation did what they were
supposed to, and while he continues to take treatment, and will continue, the prognosis
is spectacular. When we heard the news…we partied. Oh how we partied. Great
news for a great man!
4.
Mission Trip, Wood River Junction, RI
a.
Drove a van full of middle school kids. Didn’t kill
anyone.
b.
Learned I’m out of practice with the 24 hour
nature of the trip, but enjoyed it.
c.
Drove a van full of middle school kids. Didn’t
kill anyone.
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