Julio | johnozed

Today was another beach day and another excellent day. Today it was Annemarie and myself along with our nieces Hillary and Cassie, our brother Brian and his wife Karen’s girls. They have a son also who was working and couldn’t make it. It was another gorgeous day with temperatures in the upper 80 degree range and the ocean temperature was about 76 degrees. Annemarie has been staying in Saddle Brook and this morning drove up further into Bergen County to pick up the girls while I waited in Hoboken. There was traffic and things started a bit later than we had planned.

It was all good though, I was sitting on the stoop as they pulled up. Cassie was in the front seat not willing to give it up. I rarely pull rank but this morning I had to. I am an adult, much older than Cassie and therefore she had to sit in the backseat while I took the front seat. Though the car manual says there is an adapter for an iPod or some other device, there was no adapter so last night I made a few CD’s for the drive down the Jersey shore and I think they went down well.

An uneventful ride to Sandy Hook, no need to stop off for food or snacks or sun block since we got what we needed yesterday and also made food to bring down. It was a tight schedule since Cassie had to be back home by 6:00 this evening. The ocean was like bathwater once again, we all went in except for Cassie who just stood at the waterline. We tried talking her into jumping in with us but she was not having it and would rather see us frolic in the water. To each their own, so we frolicked.

The time flew by as we had fun and huddled under the umbrella and before we wanted to, we had to head home. There was no time for an ice cream stop which turned out to be the smart idea since we hit bumper to bumper traffic on the way home. We made it just a few minutes past 6:00 which was just fine. There was Brian and Karen waiting for Cassie. Hillary being 20 years old does her own thing lately. Whatever functions they had to attend was their own business and Annemarie and I were back on Route 17 headed south.

We were both pretty hungry and decided on pizza once we got to Hobkoen. Being in a car meant parking would be a problem but I remembered a coal oven pizzeria across from Julio & Stine’s place. Since we were so close I invited Julio to join us, he’s going to Denmark tomorrow. But Julio was stuck at work, needing to stay longer than he liked. We sat outside on the sidewalk and enjoyed a so-so pizza near a mockingbird’s nest with newly hatched mockingbirds making noises while mama flew around looking for food.

Now I’m home, and that’s about it. Tomorrow won’t be a beach day. We’re heading into the city to have dinner with a friend of Annemarie and her husband Rex. Instead we will probably check out some galleries in Chelsea and maybe check out the latest Woody Allen movie. It seems fitting since Annemarie and I saw a few Woody Allen movies back in the day when we were both living in Lodi. Tomorrow would make it extra special since it would be the first time we’d be seeing a Woody Allen movie in Manhattan. Who cares that it takes place in Rome?

Hillary, Me, Annemarie and Cassie

Sky-Larking

Well the temperature online says 87 degrees Fahrenheit and the ‘real feel’ is 90. When I checked earlier it said 98 degrees with a ‘real feel’ 101 degrees. It felt like wearing a suit though I was clad in a cotton shirt and shorts. If I was working it would probably feel like wearing two suits. It’s still hot and from where I sit I could see a storm approaching from the west. It will be welcomed, the rain that is, and hopefully it will be breaking up this heat and hummus. It is taking its sweet time getting here.

Last night was quiet and warm. Bill was off driving to Atlantic City again leaving me to my own devices. By devices I mean this here computer and the television as well as some guitar. Three devices as far as I can remember. I’ve been trying to figure out how to play Walk Don’t Run by the Ventures and it hasn’t been easy. I’m OK at playing chords but the leads are a bit difficult and I am trying to be more dexterous. It wasn’t that long before I gave up on the Ventures and just strummed a few songs from memory.

On the television I put on a Harry Potter movie since there was nothing else on and I wanted something familiar. It was background noise basically but still fun to watch the glimpses I’d seen. Julio did contact me to go out last night but today was a special day and wanted to be clear headed for that so I turned down his offer. He stopped by this morning to pick up the drill he lent me. Now looking out the window the storm clouds have dispersed leaving not one drop of rain. Julio has begun texting me about doing something tonight.

I am content to stay home and do nothing once again. Julio is flying to Denmark next week and we did talk about having a drink before he goes, but right now I am broke. If he wants to pick up the tab that’s fine with me, but I would understand if he doesn’t. My sister texted me, she is still at the airport in Arcata, which is weird since I thought she would have gotten here to New Jersey by now. But I misread the info yet again and she is due here tomorrow morning not tonight.

I guess I was getting a little ahead of myself. Another Harry Potter movie is on, and the sun is shining quite brightly through the window. The storm has passed and the forecasters were wrong yet again. I wish Julio still lived downstairs. It would make hanging out that much easier and cheaper. Golden light fills half of my apartment as the sun slowly sets. And now having looked in the direction of the sunset and accidentally looking at the sun, I see spots in the shape of the sun all over the place. Impressive considering that the sun is at an average distance of about 93,000,000 miles (150 million kilometers) away from Earth.

We had better take care of our environment or else the sun will roast us. And I know a bit about being roasted by the sun having had sun poisoning a few times when I was growing up. Blisters all over my body, swollen appendages are no fun despite what Anna Wintour might say. This was before sunscreens and whatnot and all I had for relief was old wives tales, cold compresses soaked in tea. I don’t want to go through that again and wouldn’t want you to either.

17 Walk, Don’t Run ’64