On the Way to Cape May

I got an early start to Cape May County today, even before the Beatles show was on. I wanted to run around and make sure I had everything packed before I left. Even with leftover pancakes from the freezer and a bowl of blueberries and blacberries for breakfast, I still just made it out the door at 8:57, barely making the 9:10 that stops in front of City Hall in Oaklyn.

Actually, that was the worst thing that happened on the road. Otherwise, my traveling went very well. The 403 to Lindenwald was on time. It was full when I got on, but most of those people seemed to be going to the Voorhees Town Center. (I thought that was a bit odd at 9:30 in the morning, since the Town Center is mostly a mall, but maybe they live in the condos back there.)

The 10:56 train to Atlantic City was on time; it rolled in an hour later. There wasn't a bus to Cape May County until 12:47, so I spent most of that hour having a Vanilla Frappucino and eating the lunch I packed at the patio outside of the Starbucks in the Atlantic City Outlets. After lunch, I walked over to the Bus Terminal and collected schedules, just in case I'd need them for a day trip or another trip down south.

The bus to Cape May County was a couple of minutes late, but not too bad. I always enjoyed my bus trips to Cape May County when I was in college. It takes about an hour, and mostly covers the Atlantic City Expressway, Garden State Parkway, and Route 47 through Middle Township. The traffic was only bad in two places - the big bridge in Egg Harbor, and Rio Grande.

Dad picked me up at the Dunkin' Donuts on the corner of Route 47 and Route 9 in Rio Grande when I finally got in. My nephew Skylar was with him; he, too, was sleeping over tonight. Dad was going to buy an ice cream cake from Carvel to celebrate having guests. I'd never seen a real Carvel ice cream shop before. The only Carvel ice cream cakes I've ever seen were from grocery stores. Sky and I played 80s video games like Jr. Pac Man and Centipede for a quarter while Dad bought us milkshakes and the cake. The cake was nicely done, a very pretty little round thing with brilliant red icing.

Mom was the only one home when we arrived. Anny and Keefe had gone to run errands. Skylar showed me his crane and battleship toys. Dad watched FX. Mom showed me their little yard, including all of her beautiful flowers. She has marigolds that are doing very well, and lillies that don't get enough water. There's cacti on the porch and a really pretty little Colorado blue spruce and roses in front, and a wisteria vine that Mom says just keeps growing.

We had dinner at 5, shortly after Anny and Keefe came home with the hamburger buns. Dinner was "whatever is in the fridge," which translated to grilled burgers, home-made roasted white and sweet potato steak fries, sauteed squash and tomato, and green beans. It was all delicious, as it always is when Mom and Dad cook.

After dinner, Anny and Keefe went out, and Skylar, Dad, and I played Super Mario World Wii and Mario Kart Wii. I'm don't own a Wii and didn't do very well on either game, but it was nice to just be able to play with those two. Dad was actually supposed to have gone fishing tonight; he opted to stay an extra day to spend time with Skylar and me.

It's quiet here now. Dad is downstairs, probably snoring over The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. Sky and Mom are watching Bolt. Tomorrow, it sounds like Keefe and I are going to watch Skylar while Anny runs errands and Mom goes to get her hair done. Then Keefe and Anny are going to take Sky to a doctor's appointment, and Mom and I are going to browse in Cape May.