In the Good Old Summertime

First of all, Happy Father's Day to all dads, including new dads and dads whose children are feathered or four-legged.

Second, I hope all of you had as lovely of a Father's Day as I did, with or without your father. As it turned out, neither of mine were available. I called Mom this morning and chatted with her for about a half-hour. Bill-Dad was out on his motorcycle, and had been in Atlantic City the day before with Grandma Ann and Aunt Mary, his mother and younger sister, respectively. He, Mom, Keefe, and Anny and her boys were going to have a special Father's Day dinner that evening...that Dad had just told Mom about. Dad gets these spontaneous ideas, but it's often Mom who has to deal with them.

I accidentally called Bruce-Dad while I was looking up the number for the Cape May County side of the family on my cell phone. It turned out to be a really good thing I did. Dad is in Ft. Lauderdale, working for a cruise ship company, and won't be back for a couple of days. I did get to wish him a happy Father's Day.

I ate blueberry pancakes while the Beatles show was on. ("Past Masters; Or, Songs That Didn't Make the British Albums" was the theme today.) After the show ended, I looked up a few things online, then decided I'd stick to my original plans for today and go swimming in Dad and Uncle Ken's pool. I'd bring over the Chocolate Mocha Mousse Pie I made for Father's Day and just leave it at Dad's house in case anyone hanging around wanted some.

Jessa was at Dad and Uncle Ken's house when I arrived. She was the only one. Uncle Ken and Dolores had left to visit his daughter Samantha and her family on their trip to Ocean City, Maryland. No matter. I had a nice chat with Jess for a while, then went for my first real swim of the year. The water was a little chilly going in, but wonderful once you got used to it. After I got out of the pool, Jess and I honored our father by sharing slices of his pie.

After I finally got home (I had to turn back around the moment I got on the porch when I realized I'd left my keys at Dad's), I headed inside and changed. It was quarter of 3, and I was starving for a real lunch. I was also feeling a little lonely. I couldn't make a father appear at will, but I could still share a nice picnic lunch with friends.

I took my four American Girls dolls on my little picnic with me. Samantha, Molly, Little Jessa, Felicity, and I settled under a tree near the back of Veteran's Park next door. I set up an old Muppet Babies baby blanket that Mom used for Anny in the 80s, and then for Keefe. I had an apple, a peanut butter and peach butter sandwich on honey whole wheat bread, and a granola bar for a late lunch and took pictures of the girls sitting around the blanket and "climbing" the tree. It was the first time I ever took them outside.

After I finished the Beatrix Potter Cottage Tales mystery The Tale of Cuckoo Brow Wood, we all just lay back on the blanket and leaned into each other. It was hot and humid, but there was a really nice breeze, and it felt great under the tree. It was a wonderful feeling. Just me and the dolls, bees buzzing in the clover behind us, planes and birds above us, wind rustling in the fat green leaves. Samantha lay on my stomach. The other three just cuddled next to me.

I didn't really want to break up the nice moment, but it was getting late. I finally gathered the girls, the blanket, the camera, and the trash, and headed back to my place. The ground chicken I took out for tonight's dinner wasn't defrosted yet, so I decided to treat myself to a nice dinner after a little North By Northwest and some crocheting.

I ended up at Newton Diner on the White Horse Pike, across from the WaWa and the Ritz Theater. It was quieter than I thought it would be on Father's Day, but I was there around quarter of 6, still a little early for many diners. I had a Cheeseburger Deluxe platter with cole slaw and sweet potato fries that were way too greasy.

There's a crane machine in the Newton Diner's narrow lobby. It was a bit expensive at two dollars, but I thought I'd give it a try. My luck from Atlantic City held. I got a velvety, dark-blue horse with large amber eyes and odd, stubby legs. I named her Hydrangia, or Gia for short, after the hydrangia bushes in the pool area that were the same brilliant shade of blue.

When I got home, I went online and listened to the Dress Circle. "Dance Numbers and Extended Underscoring Music" was the theme today. Among the famous dance music heard was "The Small House of Uncle Thomas Ballet" from the 1997 revival of The King and I and the "Sunday By the Sea" number from High Button Shoes (although their version was the one performed in Jerome Robbins' Broadway.