Back from NJ

Well I made it back from NJ last night about 7 PM. The ride out there took about 7 hours and the ride back took 9 hours and 45 minutes! I was sailing along just fine when there was a detour off the Turnpike. There had been an accident that blocked both lanes. We were re-routed off at Breezwood and supposed to get back on at Bedford, but I missed the Bedford entrance and drove to the next exit at Somerset on Route 30. Augghhh. I was tired and tense when I got home.

On the other hand the visit in Linwood with my friends at the Seaview church went really well. It was fun to see them all again, and the atmosphere , though a funeral, was very upbeat. I did my part leading the funeral service. The church choir was there with an empty seat symbolic of Geneva's spot. The hand bells played in her honor, since she was a member of that group, and many people shared a word of remembrance about her life.

The weather there was very windy and rainy on Wednesday night, and rainy and chilly on Thursday. Wednesday night Andy and I went to "Pratt's Hill of Beans". A new coffee house in EHT. They had open mic night where people played musical instruments and read poetry. It was nice, something different, and relaxing. Earlier Thursday night I had dinner with my old golfing group at the Greate Bay Country Club. It was a pleasure seeing them again (We'd have golfed, but the rain prevented that.) The Morrises look great! We laughed a lot.

I had a nice visit with my former secretary and got to see the remodeling going on at the parsonage. Pictures below. Despite the last part of the drive home, it was a wonderful trip. Folks missed Dee. I let them know about the funeral she attended in PA and her other commitments that prevented her from traveling with me. She said the service for her brother-in-law went well here.