May is here!

Dateline Charlotte. Yes, we're in Charlotte on a layover on our way back home from a few wonderful days in Daytona with John and Marilyn. 

First things first. Charlotte qualifies as the worst airport. At least among all the ones we've been to. Too crowded; too much construction; too little food. Looks like a Jersey Turnpike rest area. Not as good though.  

Someone asked us in Daytona if we were on vacation. Can you go on a vacation if you're retired?  The answer is yes. It sure felt like a vacation. We went to the beach (it was Jeep week down here) a couple times; went house scouting for Timmy who wants to move down here; went swimming, walking; played all kinds of card games; and went out to eat a few times. Mary said she felt like a teenager since John and Marilyn took such good care of us. Marilyn is still on the long road back from her knee replacement. 

Also in Florida recently was Daniel who had come down here for a WWF fight. We didn't see him at the bout we went to. Ok we didn't really go to one. 

We had a long chat with Paula who's feeling a lot better. Her cough has almost disappeared and she's looking forward to the Poconos. Speaking of the Poconos, I hope to get a message out to everyone in the next few days. July 17-20. 

In the pictures Annie sends from India, she's always smiling. A good thing. Then again, she didn't take any pictures of the rat she wrote about. She's back in Thanjavur with Sankar's family for a couple of weeks to attend a few ceremonies. 

I've been brushing up on all things Gettysburg for a class I got roped in to teach. I'm finally learning about the full extent of the carnage and its consequences. Sorry Pop, it didn't take on the previous trips. I do see why he was so taken with learning about it. Lots to learn. 

Mary helped teach a group of school kids how to swim in a prevent drowning program. Last year, a young girl did drown on a class trip to a state park. The program made it in the papers a couple of times. 

Seems like a long time ago but we had a wonderful Easter with Joe and Leonor and children. We did Easter egg hunts and lots of soccer, baseball and volleyball games. One day was so warm that the boys took off their clothes and jumped in the stream behind the house. A few minutes after they left the stream a pair of mallard ducks came swimming by in the same area. 

Margaret and Andrew and Simon went to Pennsylvania for Easter with Andrew's parents!

I think everyone who reads this knows of my diagnosis of prostate cancer. I was able to schedule a series of appointments at Dana Farber in Boston for the month of May. I'll know then more about my treatment schedule. I'm feeling fine and confident. 

They're calling our boarding group so I better post this and hop on the plane. 

Love from down here.