QUIET TIME BACK HOME IN SALEM

We arrived home in Salem safely Sunday afternoon, July 26th after a wonderful week at the CMA Rally.

On Wednesday I had a job interview. As many of you know, I retired 10 years ago.

I had NO intention of going back to work.

And I had made that VERY clear to Carol before we got married.

BUT

previously when I've been here in Salem I volunteered at a pre-school nursery for Somalian Bantu children while their mothers took English classes. I had called Catholic Refugee and Immigrations Services to volunteer again. They're no longer having a classroom program, so no need for a nursery. Oh well, maybe something else will develop.

Then I was talking with Carol and realized that if I worked at her pre-school program in the mornings, she could quit her afternoon job. And if I was disappointed that I couldn't do the same thing 3 days a week FOR FREE, would it really be work?

So I had a job interview Wednesday.

Michael, Carol's ex will take the kids on Friday, the 31st. On August 1st Carol and I will leave for PA Dutch country, NYC and New England. The New England part has been planned for a couple of months. NYC got added because Carol and the kids had such an incredible time last month. And there are several more Broadway shows that Carol hasn't seen yet.

Well, that WAS the plan.

OK, this isn't being written in a timely manner. Actually, today is August 21st.

And we just got back from a week in Jamaica.

Because on Thursday, July 30th I was checking some of my cheap travel sites and found a really great deal for a week in Jamaica.

Airfare, all inclusive including meals, alcohol and non-motorized watersports, airport transfers, everything.

Cheap.

AND the kids had such a great time in NYC.

AND it doesn't cost anything extra to take them with us in the Airstream, except for the theater tickets.

SO it really wouldn't be nice to go do something without them when we could take them there with us at Thanksgiving or Christmas.

Even at an all inclusive resort where kids stay free, it'd be $800. extra for the airfare to take them to Jamaica. And this was an adults only resort anyway.

So we went to Jamaica.

Oh, the sacrifices we make for our kids.

Pictures and the story will follow soon.