email to a friend

I was bringing a friend up to date with my life of late...

"I was wondering where you two were. I am getting ready to have a visit from a friend from MN too. My next door neighbor in Collinsville back in the day has lived in MN since the 70's and now live at Red Wing Blvd in Hastings MN. They lived in Hibbing in the beginning then to 16th St W then recently to what had been their summer "camp" on Red Wing. They come to Cape Cod for a week each summer - her family went there every summer when she was growing up. I can't wait.

I am so happy you finally met two of my favorite people in the world! We were supposed to have had dinner on May 14 in CT when they were supposed to be traveling from NC to MA but they had to cancel the trip because of Timber being sick.

Lots of end of year activities at school. Graduation is June 8. I am on vacation Jun 14-27. First week will be at the beach in Old Lyme CT the balance is still TBD. I know I will get as far south as DC to see my sister who just moved back from St Lucia - she is back at PC Headquarters. If we miss each other on my June trip, I will be making more. I just bought a new car last week and am in the road trip mood - even with the gas situation. I also need to get away more this fall and winter.

Off to Pomfret today (where my youngest sister works and lives) for a concert tonight and then a BBQ at my brother's tomorrow. We have school on Monday with a big picnic Monday night.

I thought of you when I heard of the charge for checked bags news. I thought, "those people have always been ahead of the travel curve" - no checked baggage for you two.

The campaign has been frustrating for me. I want Obama to lock it up and I want Hillary to fade into the sunset. But my frustration over that is sitting next to my sadness about Ted Kennedy. It will be hard to watch him fight through this challenge.

I am beginning to really be challenged by the gap between people who still are untouched by all the price increases. I am insulated with a 6 mile each way commute and all my meals available at school and no debt - and being cheaper than dirt does not hurt. But I don't know how people who are bigger consumers than I am are making things make sense. But then there are the people who have not even begun to feel the pinch. I know my friends in Texas are living the life - oil, Halliburton, Brown & Root, Agricultural subsidies - no pain visible there to the Houston, Dallas, Midland, Abilene players - I don't know what it feels like in Brownsville or Laredo, but I have a feeling that enough is trickling down. Also when I go to NYC - I don't see any pain. It interesting to watch a population group who don't feel the gas deal at all. I did just hear about a group of creative minds in Brooklyn who are taking a band of merry men and women to Des Moines IA. The creative and financial head did a road trip to find the "perfect spot" to start a theater/hotel/restaurant project in a place where his people could own a home, send kids to public school, had a population who could support their mission, etc. I told my sister - who knows the people - to tell the guy to call me if he needs someone to put in a year or two of hard work during the set up period.

My Economic Development Agency group is currently involved in planning sessions to do some "re-do" on some of our aging commercial areas. The big "charette" concept. Some city planners and architect types are making money hand over fist going into aging towns and creating what looks to me like "mini-Meadowmonts". New Urbanism is the new buzz word.

I was nominated for Parish Council at my church...that is how far my family name takes me around here. Nobody asked me any questions about where I have been the last 30 years or what I am currently doing...I could have been a mass murderer for all they know. But the election process was something I could not resist. They took all the nominees' names and put them in a hat - and the current Council and Priest prayed over the hat then they had four kids who were celebrating their First Communion each pick a name out of the hat...my name did not "levitate". I think we should do our Presidential election that way - lots of money would be saved! The explanation is "that way we know it is truly God's will who becomes part of the council"...ahhh, small town New England.

Chris has a lady friend from Toronto who is taking an extended vacation in NYC..I hope they come up to the beach otherwise I will stop by there on my road trip.

Better get going. Good to hear from you. Have a great Memorial Day weekend."

I am off to work this a.m., then a walk, then Pomfret. It is a beautiful day.