All this energy calling me back where it comes from.

Photo: Chuck Thompson

This is how my brain works. We're packed, we're driving. I'm driving. It's hot, and I am wearing shorts, new shorts which I had just purchased, nice new shorts for the vacation. Generally, I avoid shorts when I want people to take me seriously as an adult. I'd just as soon wear jeans than khaki shorts. But it's vacation, and I have learned to calm down, I am an American on the highway and I can wear shorts.

Only the air conditioning is on full blast and I am cool. My arms are cool and my legs are cool. I am thinking these things, as I am driving. We're talk about brain time, these thoughts, from the beginning of the post and through the next paragraphs were thought in the time it took to type "This is how."

My arms are cool, did I pack enough my hoodies, for evenings? Yes, I have, but I know it's going to be hot and I only have two pair of pants, and will that be enough but I also remember I have long pajamas as well as short, and if it does happen to be cool in the morning, I can wear those.

But what about my feet? I have flip flops but not my cold weather slippers, will I regret that? But no, because when I get up in the morning I can come downstairs and keep my feet warm in front of the fire because Dad will have already --

And my eyes well up because I have surprised myself again.

We hadn't even left Cleveland Heights.

Father passed in February. Upon learning of his death, the proprietors of Flood's Cove made the trip to Friendship to pull the chair he would sit in out of storage and place it on the porch in his honor. That was beautiful. It meant a great deal to know it was sitting there for him.

We're all here, Mom, my bother and his family, and even my niece from England, on her own. It's very hot. I have all I need. I am glad we are all here.

Distance: 3 miles
Avg Pace: 8:31
Duration: 25:33
Route: Martin Point
Temperature: 79°
Climate: hot
Mood: good

Yes, It is my birthday. Today I am forty-eight years old. Big first day, much reading and resting but also an excursion to mackerel fish from the motorboat. I manned the boat, the boy did the fishing. In the old days he was content to fish from the dock at high tide, but now we must trawl. He is eleven, he can manage is own line, entirely, and any fish he catches.

I manage the boat. I can manage the boat, but I find it stressful, so much so that I pulled a muscle in my shoulder. Before my birthday dinner we had our first wine hour of the season (our last wine hour was Dad's birthday) and by the time the meal was over I was headachy and very sore.

What to do? Take a run. It was either that or go to bed, right? After two days of driving and all the time not running lately, it was arduous and invigorating. Very glad I went out.

Did not go all the way the end of Martin Point, just far enough to log three miles. It's too darn hot.

My co-workers have made a tradition of going out for ice cream on my birthday ...
... when I'm usually on vacation. Thanks for the photo, guys!

Why Me? Playlist
Save It For Later - The English Beat
The Boys Are Back In Town - Bus Boys
No Way Out - Jefferson Starship
Eyes Of A Stranger - Payola$
Rock of Ages - Def Leppard
Destroyer - The Kinks
Cleveland Rocks - Ian Hunter