Family Parade

I flew in last night and had a wonderful reunion with Bret.  I got a little weepy when I saw him for the first time in 7 months.  

In the morning he went off to work.  I also had to work but was working from home.  I decided to take some calls from a cafe and found this new one on the main street.  I've been so enamoured with London that I forgot how much I missed Newburyport.

 I had another tearful reunion when Mom came over.  She doesn't move well and is constantly in pain because of degenerative discs in her back.  But that didn't stop her from picking up a rake and clippers to do some landscaping.  Tough old girl.

 Mom left around dinner time and I went to Gloucester to see my baby boy.  Joey invited me to watch Allie's softball game.  Doesn't Joey look great?

 Allie's team won a heated battle in walk off fashion.  (That means they scored a run in the last inning to end the game.)  It was fun to see the girls get fired up at the other team.  The bad guys coach told one of our girls to 'f-off', which escalated things.  Joey and I were ready to knock heads if a brawl broke out.

 Exhausted, I returned home to find a friendly camp fire surrounded by Bret, Zoey and Brin.

Zoey told stories about yurts and mushrooms.  She is definitely a Maine girl.  Bret and her get along just fine, thank you very much. 

 Bret is also looking great.  He works all day climbing and cutting trees and he's tan and strong.

 Brin enjoying a toasted marshmallow.

 I wasn't sure of Brin's technique.  She lit her marshmallow on fire and then blew frantically on it before it disintegrated.  A couple of times marshmallow shrapnel flew around the yard.  She insisted that is was the best technique.  I was dubious.

Once the smores broke out it was time for me to go to bed.

Seven months away is ridiculously long.  Never again.