Cape May, NJ

Thanks to a gift certificate from our church, Lucie and I spent Monday and Tuesday at a beach front hotel in Cape May, NJ. That is about 2 hours from here. As we were leaving home to head over, one of the garage door springs snapped so I had to fix that. We stopped for lunch on the way using another restaurant gift card. It was beautiful weather when we got there and in the off-season so there was hardly anyone around. We drove up and down the strip first, then checked in to our room. The hotel was very old and like a bed and breakfast (without the breakfast). A tiny TV in the room, no phones or internet, etc. But it was clean and nice and in a good location - right across from the beach. By going in the off-season, we will be able to get two uses out of the gift certificate. So we walked along the beach, window shopped a lot, had a free water ice, and just roamed around. That night we went to The Lobster House - right on the water with fresh seafood. That was excellent. Drove back to the hotel and walked around a bit taking night time pictures of the full moon and the beach.

The next day it was raining and blowing hard off of the water. So we walked to a restaurant for breakfast and battled the umbrella in the rain on the way back. Drove around some more, went to the lighthouse and the little museum and shop there, and hit a few more shops. We got home around 4 on Tuesday. It was a really good time.

A friend of ours stayed with the kids and took them to eat at Friendly's for a school fund-raiser and then over to another friend's kids' soccer game. They had a busy evening but it worked out well. She has stayed here before so it was like being 'home' for her.

My brother is doing much better. He has been fitted with a back brace and is walking around a bit. He is out of ICU and in a regular room and making good progress.