Miles to go

This morning I left 193 Penhurst and put about 650 miles between me and my two sad parents. I made an attempt to capture all of the "Welcome to" signs with varying success. Let's just say Illinois wasn't very warm and fuzzy--a welcome imprinted on a concrete bridge? with random cars being lifted in the construction zone? Anyway...other exciting observations--the speed demon octogenarian who was doing a crossword puzzle as he passed me somewhere in Indiana; a large cluster of windmills in the distance in Illinois (too far to photograph); Ronald Reagan's birthplace (didn't stop). I at dinner at a cheesy Iowan chain called Shed--its tchotchkes are much more farm-related than Cracker Barrel's--I ordered onion rings and got an entire POUND of them, presented in a minature ERTL farm wagon. Good lord. Off to sleep in Davenport, IA.

I waived the honorarium...

Today I gave my first ever invited speech at the CDS 8th grade graduation ceremony. I should have said a "Shehecheyanu." It was a blast to see how my old grade school has grown while maintaining its same fantastic intimacy and character. The graduating kids were very impressive--so self-assured and happy. The picture is of me with Mr. Bill Walter, my favorite teacher, at the post-ceremony reception.

I think every old Jewish lady in the audience who has a kid, niece, cousin, or a friend whose niece's cousin is a doctor made a beeline for me to tell me all about it!

Preparations

T-minus two days till I leave Philadelphia. I've whittled down all of my possessions to a 60"x40"x30" pile of boxes that should fit in my car, plus a few more boxes of books that got the UPS treatment.

Today was a gorgeous day for my next to last 7AM ride with Bicycle Therapy. Sadness...