THOUGHTS FROM THE LAUNCHING PAD

Here are some things we have all heard:

· Shit happens. With cash, it happens less.

· He who dies with the most toys, wins.

· Just as easy to marry a rich man as a poor man.

And so on.

Right now, we are sitting on a launching pad of sorts, looking across the harbor at a cruise ship. A large percentage of the world’s population couldn’t dream of going on that ship. Maybe they wouldn’t want to. Likewise, we are in an rv park, surrounded by fellow rv sorts. A large percentage of the world’s population couldn’t do this either. Maybe they would refrain from riding around in land yachts for the sake of the environment.

Today we had visitors. Jan and Lorne stopped by. Brother Bob and son Martin stopped by. Sister in law Carol was here twice, and last night Bev and Vic were here, as was Dani. We went through a respectable amount of smokies and chips and beer, all made possible by the indefatigable missus. The energizer bunny and land yacht queen rolled into one.

And, on the days leading up to this one, we had mucho well wishes from the winers. Every one of those exchanges made me think, does this kind of community exist in all condo buildings? I kinda doubt it.

Ya. For my dime, I’m on the “friends, family, and the gifts of God” page. Scraping together enough loot to ride around in a gas guzzling bus is one thing; the context that makes all of life possible is another thing altogether. Brothers like Bob and sons like Martin who fix everything and forgive things. Families who encourage stuff. Winers who chat and sip and just make life good at home. Ya. Friends, family, the gifts of God.

Anyway, tomorrow we’re off. If I knew how to upload a picture of the inner harbor I’d do it, but you all know what it looks like. Maybe next week I’ll figure out the visuals.

Meanwhile, here’s to spring, late though it be. Time to get out and enjoy stuff. Keeping in mind, of course, that all the best things in life are free. Gifts, as it were.

More than you can say for gasoline.