Walk, Talk, Sip, Repeat

Posted on February 28, 2026 by TheJessicaness

There’s a saying somewhere: we are what we do every day. I’m glad that I find different places and people to do the same things with. This is how I spent a part of February, where the temperature ranged from 32° to 78°F. I’ve been updating my blog from trips in 2019 and spending the other two weeks planning trips in 2026. I’ve fallen off the piano practice bandwagon, as it’s more difficult to find inspiring songs to learn scales than it is to play the ones I already like. I appreciate the challenge and hope that March will bring more than 3.5 hours of practice.

I was on the phone with Fallon for over four hours, my dad and Caroline for almost 38 minutes (now that he finished the first draft of his 1700-page book), Christine for a combined half hour, and Susie for four minutes. I’ll talk with Tina, Sue, Helen, Deb, Pat, Penny, and Gary when I see them in the neighborhood or when going to Christine’s for madeleines, Susie’s for trail-mix oat and chocolate chip oat cookies, Penny’s for cinnamon oat cookies, and Sarah’s for cookies stuffed with Snickers pieces (and to walk her dogs Snicker and Doodle seven times).

I walk a mile with Linda, complete 13.31 miles with Jan (Caleb joining us for 70%), for 48.7 logged miles, but a total of 128 this month. I completed strength, cardio, and yoga workouts, averaging 80 minutes a week. I only covered 13 miles on my bike, but doubled my running distance to 16 miles. Caleb collected and planted some ear tree seeds; only one sprouted. We sat in the hot tub twice. The first time, because we were told it wasn’t hot (but it was), and the second time, because I wanted to soak, but it wasn’t hot (because too many leaves had gotten into the pump).

I finished listening to Night Magic by Leigh Ann Henion, an audiobook that I started on December 1st, returned to the library, and re-rented. I didn’t mind certain parts while I was puzzling (I finished two and Karley helped with one), but found it difficult to listen to otherwise. I’m still reading Enlightenment Now by Steven Pinker. The reason this book is taking me so long is that I find something to research on every other page that leads me astray or further along, but that is why I love this book so much. I’m debating reading it again, but I’ll return it along with some others to their owner, Roberto, when I’m done.

Southern Black Racer

an ovenbird — builds domed nests that resemble a Dutch oven

The bike ride took us to Dunedin on Fat Tuesday, so we didn’t have to worry about parking, just a car running a red light in front of an officer who couldn’t be bothered. The rest of the night wasn’t much of an improvement, but the parade delivered plenty of lights, honking, and beads. Caleb started using an app, Too Good To Go, to get us discounts on donuts and bagels that bakeries would throw away at the end of the day. There are also grocery stores and restaurants that participate. We went to Dunedin, Clearwater, Largo, and Tampa for food.

Monarch butterfly

I went to Sea Sea Riders again for another book club, this one to discuss The Life We Bury by Allen Eskens, which is part of a three-book series featuring the same main character, with three more books focusing on a detective. I went to Jerome’s Bakery with Jan and Sarah for some French creations. I tried the iced caramel apple butter bliss latte and a crepe suzette of orange and caramel on buckwheat. I left with a slice of chocolate something with fresh raspberries inside. The Wat Mongkolratanaram Buddhist Temple invites guests on Sundays to donate money in exchange for Thai food, which we gladly did, then sat by the water.

We took a day trip to Bok Tower Gardens. The founder was born in the Netherlands in 1863 and purchased 14-acres in 1922. Edward W. Bok hired Frederick Law Olmsted Jr. to spend the next five years transforming an arid sandhill into an exotic location under the native oak hammock. The gardens now encompass 80 acres and include a 205-foot marble and coquina Singing Tower with tile mosaics, animal carvings, and custom ironwork. There are daily concerts of the carillon, comprised of 60 bells ranging in weight from 16 to 22,400 pounds.

We walked through the Chao Exhibit Hall to see parts of the tower upclose, by the kitchen garden and sampled fresh green onions, birdwatched at Window by the Pond, then ambled around the tower before returning to the parking lot for a picnic lunch. We finished our visit with a stroll on the Sunset Trail Loop. We paid the deposit for the liveaboard, booked our flights to Amsterdam and Sydney, and applied for the ETA (electronic travel authorization) to Australia. My school application is still under review since they wanted a transcript of one class I took in 2006, as if my degrees weren’t enough.

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The Texture of a Tuesday

Posted on January 26, 2026 by TheJessicaness

Happy New Year!

As much as I track what I do and make lists of things I want to do and have done, I don’t usually count how I spend most of my days, so I have done that now for January, even though the month isn’t over. I’m sure there may be some errors, but they are my own.

We walked two beaches, one with donuts (Clearwater Point) and one at sunset (Dunedin Causeway).

We walked the two-mile loop near our place 22 times, and the neighborhood lap at least (0.3m) 13 times. I thought we could get a step streak; my longest is 73 days, but that’s already been disrupted, even though we walked in a downpour one day.

Zeus

I spent about 8 hours and 18 minutes on the phone with Fallon, most of that while walking.

I wrote on sixteen days, and showered every day I worked out, 12 days. I ran 4 miles and cycled 11.78.

I am learning Dutch on Duolingo for our upcoming trip. I’m on a 112-day streak, mostly Spanish.

I only spent 13 days practicing piano, between half an hour and two hours a day. I am making progress and learning chords and new songs (Kiss the Girl — Little Mermaid, Can’t Help Falling in Love With You — Elvis, Hesitation Blues — Jelly Roll Morton, and Red River Valley — American Traditional).

I find time to read almost every night, 19 of them, and sometimes in the afternoon, and for the majority of the ride back to the dock while sailing in rough seas.

I’ve been hired to walk Sarah’s Havanese dogs twice a week in the evening (with bonus nights) for a total of ten this month. They love to pump the brakes and pull in opposite directions. I walked Nancy’s two Chihuahuas five afternoons (they love a quick pace). And while Christine was out of town, I fed her two kitties morning and night for four days.

Chestnut Park Anderson Park

I visit with neighbors frequently and can easily spend an hour talking with them when we see each other (Deb, there are three; Helen, out with her two poodles; and Rick, who loves to garden). I trade a puzzle with Susie. I walk a lap with Linda. I returned two books that Roberto loaned me. I get Girl Scout cookies from Chris D. I talk with Kathy about her daughter’s 1978 Morgan Plus 8 (that she inherited and can’t drive).

Temperatures have ranged from 34°F to 84°F this month (with two foggy mornings), so I’m surprised we’ve only been to the hot tub once, sipped tea five times (weird to keep track of, I know, but I got a new blue tea to try, so yum). I’ve read four books, took three days to finish an Alice in Wonderland puzzle, and visited two of our favorite parks (Chestnut and Anderson) on the same day. I’ve picked up an unfinished cross-stitch design and crocheted with Karley.

Dar and Grace

We’ve had pizza twice (Mellow Mushroom, of course), Tom Rub Thai, Parlor’s layered doughnuts, iced coffee, pretzel bites, a book club dinner for me and nine neighbors at Molly Goodheads, and a night out with friends (since Al’s dad is visiting from Scotland).

We still have so many freeze-dried meals and trail snacks, so we don’t have to shop often, except for salads from Costco and blue cornmeal from Whole Foods.

Caleb started my application to USF, and I finished it. I reached out to the VA about my eligibility for the Post-9/11 GI Bill. It takes weeks to get a letter. I ordered my transcripts from Jacksonville and San Diego through an official email system, and was told this process also takes a few weeks. It’s a good thing I plan on enrolling in the fall.

The more art we hang, the more we find still rolled up or hidden away. We’ve donated plenty of things, and yet we still have more that needs to go. It probably doesn’t help that I take whatever my neighbors are giving away and see if we can’t find a place or need for it. I put the Christmas cards away, but it was nice having them on display.

I spent an afternoon with Fallon and her goldendoodle, Zeus. Caleb and I spent an hour talking with the manager at Hero’s Dive Center. I clean up Caleb’s closet and find a shirt I was looking for, along with a pair of pants I didn’t miss. I go through his frisbee discs, and when he washes three of them, they shatter from old age. I get new running shoes as trail runners are great for walking and excellent for hiking, but still a bit heavy.

Macaroni

Caleb works on his bike (adjusting the fallaway), bakes sweet and savory loaves, spends time with Rick and Agim, makes us dinner, and fixes the broken table I bring home (plus any other projects I can find for him). He reads, knits, and naps occasionally. He talks with his siblings about the weather, their health, and their parents.

We went sailing with Terry and Karley and their dog Macaroni. The guys take the helm and masts while Karley cooks, and we chat. We picked up rental dive tanks, as this outing had a mission to find their missing propeller and then find a wreck to explore. We are woken the first night by bumping into a barge (one of the many we drifted past without encountering) twice. Terry has to stay up to return us to our anchor spot. It’s windy, but I enjoy watching the world go by while sitting in the sun.

Karley, Caleb, Macaroni, my legs

Terry drops an undersea drone into the terrible visibility below us, and that, mixed with cold weather, means no one is motivated to get wet. The tanks will go unused, lesson learned. Caleb syphons water out of the fuel tank since he has the most experience being tossed around in an engine room. Dinner will be carrot cake, pretzel chips, and fresh fruit. The small afternoon storm we were expecting for Sunday afternoon rolls in thick in the morning, tosses us around all day, and tangles the two anchors.

Not everything in the cabin was secure for sea, so there was some cleaning to do while still in rough seas for the ten-hour return to the dock. It didn’t help that Karley gets terribly seasick. I would feel awkward after being tossed around for two days. It felt better to move around (to match the motion in my brain), but that had given me a headache.

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Supposed to be 52

Posted on December 31, 2025 by TheJessicaness

I get inspired, and then I get distracted. The idea here is to highlight something learned once a week.

1. The HOPE (Helping Others Pursue Education) program for prisoners and probationers lessens future crimes and drug use
2. The Matis people in Brazil pierce and tattoo their faces as they mature
3. The first home-use vibrator in 1902 was the fifth electrical appliance approved for domestic use
4. Scottsboro, Alabama, has an Unclaimed Baggage store that gets some unique items
5. Only armadillos and humans carry leprosy
6. Nukutavake canoes are stitched together with sennit, the inner husk of the coconut
7. Tonga is the only island nation in the Pacific to never have been ruled by outsiders
8. Ounces add up when you have to carry them on your back for long distances, such as the PCT, so choose wisely
9. French schools allow their students to go home for lunch with their families
10. A person’s tooth can be used to correct corneal blindness
11. The Army put lipstick on a helicopter in 1954 as a recruiting tactic and dressed the other as a cowboy. They square-danced in the sky to promote new technology.
12. Agent Orange was a defoliant herbicide that caused deforestation, poisoned people, and killed animals after millions of gallons were sprayed

Since I didn’t complete the above list, I will share part of another inspiration: to note 24 unique behaviors or interests that characterize me… that I also didn’t get around to finishing.

1. I love to make lists about everything
2. I enjoy books that teach me something new
3. Most of my decor is animal or map-related
4. I collect stickers, magnets, and snowglobes
5. I have a hard time saying no or disagreeing with someone
6. I look at the calorie count on the menu
7. I vary between skimpy and overly modest while in the sun
8. I rarely use creams/lotions even though I seem to have so many
9. I like being able to potty with the door open, whether home or not
10. I bring my own to-go dish and enjoy when others notice
11. I’ve shopped in a kids’ store as an adult. I, too, like unicorns
12. I like trying new foods and drinks, even if it means eating after a stranger
13. I prefer the laundry drying rack a certain way, and though it bothers me, I don’t say
14. Going outside always makes me feel better

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100+ Things That Made 2025

Posted on December 30, 2025 by TheJessicaness

1. Al gifting me a radio for the hike (that’s too big to bring)
2. Terry trying to print me a new phone case (three times) and another one that cracked
3. Karley gifting me matchy pants in a different color
4. Holding Jackie, the ball python, at the science center in Apollo Beach after seeing manatees
5. Caleb baking with egg whites vs yolks – angel food cupcakes and bread
6. Watching Macaroni not put away his toys and spending a weekend with him – vacuuming
7. A bird on the balcony screen and colorful, reusable baking cups stacked to dry by the sink
8. Getting a warming mattress topper so we can both be more comfy and get better sleep
9. Shaving my hair to one inch with Caleb’s help
10. A smoothie and stroll with Fallon at Anderson Park (her first time)


11. Coffee and conversation with Terry and Galli to Target and plaza (at least three times)
12. Watching a rabbit eat grass and three deer walk by the window as they eat too
13. Talking with Gordon at Starbucks about their menu changes that are more frequent now
14. Ran a 10k before sunrise
15. Watching Thai Cave Rescue by National Geographic
16. Talking with Simone while donating blood at OneBlood
17. Reading my parents’ texts from 2013; they both have good humor
18. Zeus holding my hand so he can sleep
19. Brodie, age 2, and Layla, age 4, laughing while she pulls her cheeks back into a wide grin
20. Hottub hangout on Thursday night with Terry, Karley, Al, and Caleb (at least six times)


21. “My Girl” sung to me by Corey at Capt’n Jack’s with Amy, Cheryl, Asta, Caleb… and Dave
22. Seeing Mike Marino live at Snappers with Mad Dog, aka Vini Lopez, in the audience with Al, Terry, Karley, and Caleb
23. Poolside Tichu with Karley, Terry, and Caleb before the big football game that we didn’t watch
24.  Listening to the bats, before the bugs, while reading on the balcony
25. Working in the kitchen with Caleb while listening to an audiobook
26. Ron from Gainesville at Royal Orchid Thai Restaurant in Ocala, who was thrilled to return to eat here with his wife, and felt the need to share that with us
27. Play video games with Terry and Karley
28. Talking with Parker, a 17-year-old, about his flat tire, machete scars, and love of fishing
29. Talking with Jeff and Brandon at Whiskey Wings about bad knees, broken bones, and boats
30. Caleb getting free shoes, a $150 value


31. Getting free eggs from our neighbors, Galli and Howard
32. Bicycling 30 miles on the Pinellas Trail in a day
33. A day at Strawberry Fest with Aunt Lois
34. Hidden Anchor Saturday and Capt’n Jack’s and Johnny’s Sunday with Fallon and Marie
35. Grooming Zeus while he smiles at me
36. A day at Sponge Docks with Aunt Lois, and lovely dangly turtle earrings
37. A day in Tarpon Springs with Fallon, Marie, and Caleb
38. Complimenting a woman’s very green dinosaur neck tattoo
39. Layla painting my nails and applying eyeshadow on my cheeks
40. Caleb cleaning my feet

Jess, Caleb, Fallon, Marie


41. Dinner at Niko’s with Spiro and his wife, Tamara, and their two kids
42. Going through Mom’s funeral floral cards exactly ten years later, people and clubs I don’t know
43. Learning more about Mom through the little things she had – lists, pictures, diary pages
44. Listening to a short Sunday evening storm
45. Video calls with Uncle Ed (at least eleven times)
46. Watching Zeus for four days
47. Seeing a bald eagle twice before the rain
48. Seeing animals while paddleboarding: sharks – reef and baby bonnethead, rays, dolphins, Ridley turtle, and gutteral cormorants
49. Spending a Friday with Karley
50. Watching a lightning show across the canal

twenty years between


51. Getting the all-clear from the hygienist
52. Birthday dinner for Karley with Terry, Caleb, and Kristen, her friend from Idaho
53. Sailing on the Kraken Snack, Karley and Terry’s sailboat on Friday
54. An 88-key keyboard from Terry so I can learn (to play We Wish You a Merry Christmas)
55. Seeing a snake at War Veterans’ Memorial Park while Caleb has carpal tunnel release surgery
56. Getting told I have a beautiful smile
57. Karley putting clay on my swollen feet from a random bug at Al’s pool
58. Doc complimenting my haircut
59. Touching Caleb’s butt in a store and having a lady say that’s what she would do
60. Helping Karley and Terry move to Ruskin, say bye to Macaroni

Layla and Brodie


61. Meeting Caleb’s cousin Donald, one of Aunt Jamie’s boys, in Washington
62. Listening to Lyra’s last middle school band recital in Montana
63. Jessi buying me the best earrings for the trail
64. Hiking parts of the Pacific Crest Trail with Caleb’s help
65. Sharing meals and summits (San Jacinto and Baden-Powell) with Gert, Ravi, Rachel, and Trailer Park
66. Six Flags with Gert, Ravi, Trailer Park, Caleb, Nightcap, Seeker, Rachel, and Greg
67. Meeting hikers’ family (Lyric’s dad, Ravi’s mom, Gert’s wife)
68. Camping among Sequoia trees with Gert and Anouska
69. Celebrating birthdays (Ravi, Caleb) on the trail
70. Finding books in a dumpster and saving as many as I could carry

Asta, Cheryl, Jess


71. Staying at the Marcinek Cabin, even with the kids
72. Driving Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier National Park
73. Playing with Puddle the guinea pig
74. Recreating Jake and Jessi’s wedding/honeymoon for their 20th anniversary
75. Seeing two parades in two cities in a week (Stevensville and Trout Creek)
76. Making tie-dye shirts for mini-golf on Jessi’s birthday
77. Visiting Missoula County Fair twice in a day
78. Jumping in the cold river (68°) at the cabin
79. Eating fresh-picked berries by the Columbia River in Oregon with Jessi
80. Singing “We Are the Dinosaurs” and other songs by Trout Fishing in America (thanks, Mom) with Caleb and Jessi

Macaroni Denis Zeus


81. Helping Umi win something at PCT Days by giving him raffle tickets
82. Interacting with two mantids in two weeks (at the cabin and a gas station)
83. Seeing Aunt Janet and Cousin Christina (after ten years)
84. Playing Uno No Mercy with Kris and his family for hours
85. Caleb helping a lady at Costco load groceries into her car
86. Watching walls and floors change colors
87. Following the trail family to the Canadian border via social media
88. Having friends over and making new ones
89. Watching a guy read a menu with a magnifying glass
90. Reading ‘kerfuffle’ in a book

handpainted fan blades from Roberto


91. A walk with Christine to her husband’s spot under a tree, and the house they shared
92. Drawing lessons and making cards with Sarah
93. A night on the Kraken Snack with Karley and Terry
94. Walking with the smallest school of the tiniest fish on Caladesi Island
95. Captain Dallas gifting us a fresh-caught and unalived fish
96. Making an inappropriate comment while Caleb was on the phone, “You came to look at my titties!”
97. Wearing matching chicken leg socks with Karley on Thanksgiving
98. Sharing homemade cookies with my neighbors
99. Being part of a progressive dinner, mostly of cider and pinwheels, in the neighborhood
100. Seeing a speckled burrowing cockroach (and thinking it was a dirty honeybee)


101. Jamming out at my desk to new-to-me upbeat songs
102. Talking about Sparky and Piggy (and reading about them and looking at photos)
103. Caleb turning the heat on for my side of the bed
104. Paddleboarding with manatees and dolphins with Ryan, Fallon, Caleb, and Addison
105. Swinging when I find one, thanks Florida parks
106. Finishing 35 books, the same number as last year, mostly about science, history, and adventure
107. “garrotted carotid” and “penguin poontang”

Posted in Animals, Art, Birthday, Books, Camping, Cycling, Events, Family, fitness, Food, Friends, Hiking, History, Holidays, Marriage, Medical, Military, Music, People, Photography, Places, Travel, Water | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

I Blinked

Posted on November 15, 2025 by TheJessicaness

I’ve always struggled with the question, “What do you do?” and it throws people off more now when they hear that neither Caleb nor I work, but I still wonder where my days go. The few pictures I do have show that I’m still actively participating in life, exploring new places, and meeting new people. What I don’t have photos of are the hours spent practicing on the piano, reading books, soaking in the hot tub, and doing chores (though maybe that’s where I get my next inspiration).

We spent a Saturday afternoon walking to Highlander Park because a few neighbors suggested we should go to an arts market there, but they don’t understand that we prefer discount pieces (or fancy gifts), not to purchase handmade works that would cut into our cheese and travel budget. We do make an exception for lemonade. We’ll stop in to browse the Dunedin Fine Art Center, since we’re walking by… and admission is free, and enjoy some pieces by Yhali Ilan and the multiple trees with ornaments for sale.

We’ll spend an hour and a half at Al’s on Sunday, me in his giant hot tub, while the men use the heated pool as well. We had planned on having dinner with him and were unaware that he’d already had lunch at Victory Tavern, but didn’t mind returning for another meal. I spoke with Frank, a regular patron, who is a 20-year chief who helped his mom in Massachusetts and then moved down here four years ago with Lisa, who did 15 years in the military, before being poached by Raytheon. We talk about local parks and animals, and I show him some of my photos, while Caleb and Al discuss military and family, again.

I go for a two-mile run and log a 1.5-mile walk before seeing Caleb, then jog to catch up with him so we can walk home together. He’s too hot to cook in the community soup pot just yet, so we’ll go before dinner of ice cream and asparagus; being an adult has its perks. So does wiping the dust off vinyl record covers before pulling the album out and noticing that Barry wrote half his last name on most of them – something one does in the military. I remember him listening to the kids’ music one day, taking turns between records and CDs. I don’t remember him being happy, though he smiled in photos.

Those thoughts are far from my mind while Caleb and I sit at Sarah’s house on Thursday, getting an introduction into one of her many art hobbies — making cards. Our theme is the fall season, and I enjoy using a machine to cut out stencils, coloring stamps, and layering the pieces to create a scene. Caleb’s cards seem to have lost all their leaves without a trace of people or animals to interrupt the afternoon. I could stay all day, but already Sarah has fed us snacks and entertained us, and now has something else on her ever-busy schedule that motivates me to live into my mid-seventies as well as she is.

Terry has to work on Friday, but has invited us to spend the rest of the weekend with him and Karley, and their dog Macaroni, on their boat. We leave early Saturday morning, as they’re about an hour and a half drive away, and get to the dock thirty minutes before they do. We’ll spend the day anchored off a small island, where we can paddleboard between and walk along the beach collecting shells, and noting the damage from last year’s hurricane. The Bulgarian/Italian/Greek owner of said island lets us know he’s in the process of repairing the tiki bar and other available activities by starting with burning the fallen trees.

Macaroni on the Kraken Snack

We are greeted with a beautiful morning, with a warning of a storm on the horizon, which will have us leaving earlier than planned. Caleb has taken in the full sunrise, and I will join him before the sun disappears into the thick clouds. Sipping coffee takes away the struggles of last night’s sleep, and though we had plans to ride bikes in Tarpon Springs in the afternoon, the storm arrived and dashed those plans, too. My rainbow friendship bracelet that I got at Ravi’s birthday celebration back in June exploded, so I collected it and put it in a dish, though the guys stopped wearing the children-sized jewelry months ago.

November 11th brings a cold front, and I wake to the heat on because it’s still 39° outside, and inside was in the 50s when Caleb woke. Al is going to a Veteran’s Day ceremony, walking distance from our place, so we showed up late, and Caleb went directly into the Big Red Bus, which just happened to have an apheresis machine on board. I watched the a cappella group before joining Caleb. Usually, we worry about my iron levels, but this time the woman asked if I had eaten (never before asked, but also never answered no) so snacks and drinks were quickly given.

Sri Lankan weevil

We join Al for lunch at Applebee’s, the restaurant that started the growing tradition of offering a select menu for veterans and active-duty to get a free meal, and then stop by Starbucks on the way home for a free coffee. Back in our car, we drove to Buffalo Wild Wings, where we saw Ryan and Fallon, so we joined them for lunch at Olive Garden, then stopped for a dessert (that would last me three days) at Dairy Queen after they went about their day. Last year, restaurants allowed take-out, and most changed to dine-in-only this year. I appreciate the switch, as returning to Applebee’s for dinner gave us the opportunity to eat with Todd and Cynthia.

We met them at the door, and having all traveled, knew about table-sharing overseas, so they offered once they were seated. The waitress was a bit confused at first, but we were all smiles by the end of the night. Todd was one of the unappreciated Vietnam veterans who returned to a divided country (as we should all ask if war is worth dying for). I was unaware that those vets were given their own day of remembrance, March 29, in 2017, to commemorate the day the last troops left Vietnam in 1973. Cynthia worked for Mercy Ships for over seven years, and they’ve been together for twenty, just as long as Caleb and I. It’s important for humanity that strangers connect over a shared common interest or history.

I finished a 1000-piece puzzle on Wednesday that’s missing two pieces, while Caleb patched the hole he punched in his paddleboard while on the boat the other day. I walk Sarah’s Havanese, Snicker and Doodle, and spend some time at Sarah’s after visiting with Jan. She invites me to walk with her in the morning, but I’m done and back from our agreed-upon time before she’s out of bed. I’ll talk with Susie while she gets her mail key replaced by a locksmith and Caleb finishes his six-mile run.

Last weekend on the boat, Caleb mentioned making potato salad, so we invited Terry and Karley, who brought green salad, drinks, and a basil plant, and Al, who brought green beans, chicken wings, and a lily bouquet to our place. Caleb also made a more homemade version of my mom’s favorite chicken recipe (salsa and cream of mushroom) and a white chocolate cheesecake. We’ll get in the hot tub after dinner, and somehow they all have room for dessert after changing into dry clothes or putting them on over wet swim shorts. I’ll wait and have a slice for breakfast.

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