Another Pleasant Valley Saturday

Well, I know my friends and family think I'm sometimes too happy, especially in the early mornings. In fact, I came close to daeth several times in college when I walked around the campus apartment snapping my fingers while Barry (bigger and stronger than I) was struggling to awaken and go to an 8 am Organic Chemistry class.

Still, I must share the glorious morning here. As the Appalachian folk song goes, the simple pleasures are the greatest...

Wifey and I took the 2 dogs for a walk, and stopped for a pleasant chat with our neighbor Susan. A SUV pulled up and asked me for an address where there was a yard sale. "Must not be here -- our Association prohibits garage sales." The woman, gray haired and with a Midwestern accent, showed me the Herald ad. Sure enough, it was here in Devonwood. After I directed her, I tripped over a rock and my speed bump-like Bassett Hound, so I started off Susan and wifey's morning with a good belly laugh. I self reduced my fractured hip, and away we went.

We got to the house having the sale, and stopped to say hello. It's owned by a retired orthopedic surgeon (and former college football star) now battling cancer, and his lovely wife Audrey. I held the dogs, and watched as the arriving customers laughed at my funny looking Bassett, and chatted with Audrey.

Wifey found a rocking chair she liked, for $25, and I was able to joke that now Audrey was "off her rocker." We left for home.

When we arrived, daughter #2 was awake, along with the 3 friends who had slept over, rummaging through the refrigerator for the left over pizza from the night before. I offered to go for fresh bagels, but 2 of the girls were leaving.

IF there's a warmer feeling than having your house be the headquarters for your kid and her friends, I don't know what it is. I love it when my house is buzzing with that kind of activity in the morning.

Wifey's friend Crazy Sheryl had also spent the night, with her girl Amelia, who we've known since she was 4. Amelia's grown into a brunette beauty, like her mother. They were on their way to visit Sheryl's middle son, who goes to college in Boca. Sheryl always brings energy wherever she goes, and when she heard about the yard sale, immediately asked wifey to take her. Thirty minutes later, they returned, Sheryl carrying 2 crystal lamps, worried "later" about how she was going to carry them home on the plane to Boston. That's Sheryl --a modern day Daisy Miller --living for the moment. It's fun to be around folks like her, in small doses.

Well, as I write this, Daughter's friends have left, as has Crazy Sheryl, and Wifey's taken Daughter #2 to Driver's Ed. In 3 hours my Canes play FSU, and we may or may not go watch the game at aome friends' house. This evening we have a birthday dinner for another friend, to be prepared by his daughter, a gournet cook in training.

All in all, a delightful Saturday morning, I must say.