PAT AND SIMONE PURECELL

Traveling to the East coast from California, we've covered about 7,000 miles in the RV so far. Most travelers don't get to experience the byways and side trips as deeply as we do. And, this trip has a purpose, an eventual reunion with Jim's family members.  I took a picture of Jim with his closest cousin Simone Couisneau Purcell and her husband Pat. Jim and Simone grew up near each other as kids and considered each other more like brother and sister. His last visit was in 2007. We had lunch at her house in Bergenfield, NJ and though the visit was short we will see her again in late July.

We returned to Palumbo's for a light supper, potato salad and the all American hot dog, grilled. Also organic in this case. Jim and Ginnie have chipmunks zipping around the yard all the time and I finally caught one for the camera. Its mouth is lumpy with found treasures.

We enjoyed another walk in their favorite nearby garden, Laurelwood. Because it was later in the day, we caught some fat frogs out for an evening mosquito meal.

We visited the private for-residents-only Pines Lake and watched the sunset. New friends for me, a sweet three days, then back on the road to whatever is around the bend.