Morning all:

It really was “once upon a blue moon”. Here let me explain after I have a bit more of this great and fresh mug of Colombian java sitting next to me.

My flight was booked late and I ended up sitting way in the rear of a Delta MD-88, window seat, next to the starboard engine. I was Miami bound, paying no mind, my head buried into my latest read, Garrison Keillor’s “Wobegon Boy”. I guess it was the plane’s shuddering and banking that caused me to look up and out and beyond the engine cowling. The very last of the day’s light reflected off the cloud tops to the west, casting some great shadows and a variety of pinks in the distance. Around me the clouds were already black. It was then that I noticed that the cloud tops would glow intermittedly, much like Chinese lanterns. I stopped reading and just sat and enjoyed this wonderful spectacle. Since the thunderstorm was affecting airport traffic we ended up circling a bit. The lightning, the banking around the various cloud formations, the shuddering, and the views, made an otherwise non-event into something very beautiful. Today’s full “blue moon” lived up to its promise—for me at least.

My short Florida visit did have two memorable bits. Top on the list was a great dinner with my brother George and his business partner Mike. Good food and some even better laughs were on the menu. Thanks George. The other dealt with Miami’s summer weather pattern—rain. I walked into the offices of my customer accompanied by great early morning sunshine. When we broke for lunch, water was pouring off the building roof in a solid sheet. Cars in the parking lot were sitting in water well past their wheel rims. I had a rental with 17” tires and the water was about three or four inches from the axle. Someone went out with an umbrella and waders and drove it around to where we could get in—luckily we didn’t have to use canoes.

I took some wonderful video of Marin learning to walk. He storms around the house and sidewalk, stiffed legged, behind a little scaled down walker. A junior version of what I see myself like in a few years. I have captured a clip and it is on my system, however I am seriously struggling to have the audio properly synchronize to the video portion. Once I figure that piece I will post it. Keep checking.

Tuesday, Adrianne left on a 24 hour, 300 mile boat ride to the more remote Vava’u island grouping, complete with her Peace Corps issue of Dramamine. Right before she sailed she managed to send across some photos taken during her first month’s training. These I have posted on her blog’s “Photo Album”. To get there directly just click on this “Album” link.

Today I have promised Marcia that I would jump into the fray and help get the apartments ready for rental. So, sing along with me (to the tune of “When Johnny coming marching…”); When Dirkie comes marching with a brush, hurrah, hurrah….

Have a great week everyone,

Cheers,

Dirk