It's been a while

I've been busy. Sorry about the lack of posts. Managed to swing a quick trip down to see mom in the hospital. She's feisty for 80. Got a new diagnosis of CHF. She was tested and treated and released all in a week. She's definitely looking and sounding better, so it was a productive trip to the hospital. Excellent staff, too, which was encouraging.



After a brief visit to mom in the hospital I flew to Miami and got picked up by my adorable daughter. She had been spending the last four months at the Dolphin Research Center in Grassy Key Florida. She had an (unpaid) internship there in research. She had an absolute blast. I got to visit her at the Research Center and meet her bosses and cohorts. Also got to meet the folks who employed her so she could support herself. She worked the front desk at a charming little resort on Islamorada. The folks were very nice and very complimentary. Good as they were to her, she has her heart set on NEVER doing another customer service job again if she can help it. She just doesn't like having to fake the smile because someone is being a pain in the patootie. Can't say as I blame her. I also got to meet her terrific roommates. They were two charming young ladies, both graduates of separate Universities in North Carolina. Both also working at the Dolphin Research Center. All three girls got along famously during their brief stint in the Keys. All in all it was a too short trip, but for a great purpose. The internship ended and I got to go on a road trip back home with my kid. She's decided to return to the frozen north and look for work. I was afraid that once she got a taste for the warmth of the Keys we'd never see her north of Jacksonville again, but she surprised me by saying she was ready to come home.

We left Marathon at 0500 and drove to Columbus, GA the first day. Stayed overnight with my brother-in-law who we hadn't seen in a couple of years. A confirmed batchelor and avid fisherman, he's always been great with his nieces and nephews. Night two found us in Seagrove, NC at my sister's house. We left early this morning to go retrieve my car from the Richmond airport, then got home very early...by 1:30 p.m. We unpacked the car and then took the dog for a romp at the local dog park. He was delighted that his girl had returned to him. He thinks my daughter hung the moon as they liked to say in Texas.