Bill | johnozed

A Saturday night in Hoboken. I just got back from dinner and a stroll with my sister Annemarie and our niece Meghan. We had some pizza at Grimaldi’s on Washington Street, much like we did last year. Annemarie and I eat at Grimaldi’s at least once each time she is back on the east coast. Last year Meghan joined us. Bill usually joins us too but his schedule did not permit it this time around. We’ve also been joined by Earl, Julio and Stine at various times, but this year was a repeat of last year, sitting in the sidewalk café.

It’s a beautiful night and perfect for a stroll. There were a lot of other people who had the exact same concept it seemed. Tons of people and families roaming about on the shores of the Hudson River. A nice breeze and a few photo opportunities to be had. There was even a local production of The Pirates of Penzance going on. Unfortunately Gilbert & Sullivan operettas aren’t my thing and the novelty soon wore off fast despite the noble efforts of the acting troupe. I enjoyed a very nice El Rey De Mundo 60 gauge cigar and also did not want to smoke around the ‘theater goers’.

Things of course were better than yesterday, Annemarie’s husband and son made it to Eugene, OR with little difficulty. Earl was participating in a trivia event and texting his mother for answers which is actually cheating. My family is all about trivia it seems and I am often tempted to enter a trivia competition at one of the many bars and pubs in Hoboken that have those events. I think my only drawback would be sports trivia of which I know little. Music and movies I think I would excel at.

One of these nights I will give it a try I reckon. Right now The Hustler is on PBS. I never watched it before and since I am writing this while it is on, I am barely watching it now. Bill is driving to Atlantic City once again, same as he did last night, and some weekends previous. Surprisingly enough I slept quite well last night, so well that I had difficulty waking up this morning. The clock radio goes off, Elton John is singing Philadelphia Freedom and I go reaching for the snooze bar.

I was out and about soon enough and once again being a summer weekend, Hoboken had half the population it usually does or so it seemed. I visited some friends in their office and sat with them for a while, talking and sometimes even answering the telephone for them. They’re nice people and I had nothing better to do anyhow. Weekends down the Jersey shore are too crowded so staying in Hoboken is just fine by me.

Annemarie flies back west on Wednesday so we plan on one more trip to Sandy Hook on Monday. Tuesday is a chill out day. Tomorrow is a family reunion of sorts at Meghan and Rob’s house for a barbecue.

All is well.

Meghan, Annemarie and me

19 The Worst That Could Happen

Another splendid day at Gateway National Park, also known as Sandy Hook. It’s a national park so cigar smoking is permitted and today I was not the only cigar smoker. I counted at least three other guys. It was certainly more crowded today than it’s been the previous days. And only one life guard station was being operated, so it seemed even more crowded with a lot of families all located between the red flags that signify where the area where the life guards watch is. Today was also pretty good since the life guards were not playing club music on their boom box.

It was certainly a lot windier than we expected or hoped for. It was alright and manageable when we first got to the beach. Both Annemarie and I ate our lunches which was smart since the wind really started kicking up and that would mean for every bite of a sandwich, it would likely be accompanied by wisps of sand flying into our mouths and food. The water was warm like bathwater once again and that was enjoyable. In fact with the wind, it was a little bit warmer in the water than it was on the beach.

The day started out nicely with me asleep in bed, Bill kissing me good bye for the day. I could not wake up when the clock radio went off and hit the snooze button a few times. I finally did get out of bed, once again before 9:00 and set about making coffee, pouring cereal and stepping into the shower. Annemarie has been on top of using the correct sun block, something with zinc in it, something without fragrances since I do not want to attract flies and be swarmed like I was last year which was embarrassing.

Annemarie made it down to Hoboken once again, this time with no extra passengers and very little traffic. Neither of us mind the extra passengers since they are family, and even if they weren’t family they would be welcome. But it was just the two of us and we headed down the highway while listening to the CD’s I burned last night and talked about the familial drama that seems to ensue every time Annemarie comes to the Garden State. “Why did they do that” “Why didn’t they do that” “What about me?” usually comes up with some hurt feelings that are not so easily assuaged.

No names please. Still things get done and we usually do all get together for a good time since it is the only time of year my sister can get together with her three brothers and their families. And I am the only one that makes time to spend with Annemarie, if I was working I would take my vacation time while she was visiting. But right now I am not working so I do have all the time to spend with her, and I am willing to share the time that Annemarie is here with anyone who is interested and able.

I was comfortable at the beach sitting in the sand, it was so windy it was a very clear day, Manhattan, Coney Island and Rockaway beach were all quite visible. The sheet that we use on the beach was covered with sand though and like the other people around us, we decided enough was enough and packed up a little bit earlier than we would have liked. A visit to Crazee’s in Rumson was in order, since who doesn’t like ice cream after a day at the beach? It has become a routine that we are most happy to follow.