Bill and Cathy McArthur Spring/Summer/Fall 2009: 3
Monday, May 18, Cathy went to the gym. It was chilly and windy, so Bill did some computer work and then re-populated the shed. Later, we drove to the bike path on Ferry Road and did a walk/run where Bill ran for 5K at a 10:12 pace. We dressed with warm clothing. We returned home for a late lunch. Jim Sosna dropped by for a few minutes to pick up some straps for his trip to Rutgers on Tuesday, where he would have to transport a box spring and mattress. We drove to Northfield to see "Angels and Demons", which we liked much better than its predecessor. Tom Hanks was much more credible in the role this time. Afterward, we ate at the nearby Bonefish Grill. When we returned home, we discovered that our DVR didn't record the finale of "24", so we will have to download it from iTunes. Comcast sucks, as they say. Bill settled for re-viewing "Super Bad" (unrated) and McLoved it as usual.
Tuesday started at 44 degrees. Cathy went to the gym. Bill worked on readying the deck for Memorial Day weekend. The new offset umbrella had a slightly differ shape for its base, so, after removing the old base, Bill had to drill 4 more holes in the deck floor. The market umbrella was much easier to install, and the new flag was a snap. Bill also put the old garden hose out at the curb along with the old umbrella base. He hooked up the sewer and city water to the RV, which he put in position to be a spare bedroom/bathroom. After lunch, Bill installed the old TV in the RV and hooked up the cable. At 4:45 PM, Bill brought his fishing stuff over to neighbor Tom's and they headed for the Coast Guard jetty. Unfortunately, the jetty was closed. They went to Poverty Beach where Bill cast a bucktail several times with no result. There were a lot of fishermen spaced along the beach, all fishing with clams. They saw one guy carrying an obviously short striper to his truck. Back at home, Bill and Cathy had pasta for dinner and viewed "Valkyrie" - good treatment, but failures don't make very good stories.
Wednesday got off to a cool, but calm start. Bill dropped Cathy at the ACME, so she could drop off a DVD before going to the gym, on his way to a 9:00 AM dentist appointment to get a lost filling replaced. The dentist trip was painless and short. Bill was back home by 9:40 AM. Joe Link picked up Bill at about 11:00 AM to go the the Bel Haven kayak store. Joe was shopping for a new kayak and test paddled a couple of them. He decided on a 17' Necky boat to be picked up later. Bill bought a pair of gloves and a dry bag. We headed back down the GS Parkway and Bill was back home at 3:30 PM. Cathy had walked home from the gym and was at a social meeting at Technical High School with former colleagues. Bill went out at 4:00 PM, just as the SW wind picked up, for a paddle to the canal. With the wind, waves, and current against him on the way to the canal, Bill got a good workout. He took a somewhat chilly outside shower after the trip. Cathy and Bill went to Lucky Bones for a good dinner in a very loud room.
Thursday was our start to the Memorial Day Weekend, the beginning of summer at the Jersey Shore. Cathy went to the gym. Bill went out for a 5 mile run and 1.5 mile walk. When we both returned to the house, we made final preparations for company. Katie, Rachel, and Eric arrived a bit after noon. The weather cooperated as the beautiful day warmed. After lunch, Bill and Rachel went down to the beach. The beachcombing was cut short by Rachel tripping and getting a nosebleed. Katie went out for a 4 mile run while Eric took a short nap. Cathy, Bill, and Rachel spent some time playing cards on the deck. Rachel also enjoying doing artwork with markers. We had a big tortellini dinner in the solarium and watched a great sunset. Eric went to bed at his usual early hour. Rachel stayed up playing for a couple of hours. Alex and Phil called to let us know that they would arrive after midnight. Katie, Bill, and Cathy headed to bed in the RV by 10:00 PM.
Friday began Memorial Day weekend for us. The weather for the whole weekend was excellent and conducive for outdoor activities. We all spent some time on our beach. Phil and Bridget and Bill went for a kayak paddle down the Bay. We grilled filet mignons for a dinner feast on the deck.
Saturday started very early as Phil competed in the triathlon in Sea Isle City. Phil went over to Sea Isle obscenely early. The rest of us piled into two vehicles and stopped at WaWa for breakfast on the go. The kids enjoyed being on the beach in Sea Isle as we watched the triathlon. The Stoops family stayed over in Sea Isle until late afternoon. The McArthurs and Leitchs went to Cape May for a bit of a walk and for lunch at Louie's Pizza. Our well quit working during the late afternoon after most of us had obtained showers. Bill and Katie rushed out to ACME to buy lots of water to help us through the crisis. Cathy tried futilely to get someone to come over and fix our problem. Luckily, the RV still had most of its tank of fresh water left over from Bill's drive from Florida. We used that water to supply water for flushing toilets in the house and also for general purposes in the RV. We got takeout from Bella Mangiata for dinner on the deck.
Sunday morning was another early one. Bill, Alex, and Katie left at 7:00 AM to drive to Stone Harbor for the Turtle Trot 5K. It was a good morning for a run and the three runners enjoyed the race. Afterward, the three went to Starbucks and then to ACME. When they arrived back home, two men from Atlantic Cape Well Drilling were on hand fixing the well. They had to replace the 15 year old pump for $1200. By lunchtime, we had water again. Cathy and Bill spent the next couple of hours waiting in lines at the Lobster House and ACME. Lunch was very late. We all managed to spend a lot of time on our beach. Bill went out for a short kayak ride. We grilled a wonderful swordfish dinner and ate on the deck.
Monday, May 25, was Memorial Day. The Stoops family left at 9:00 AM to head back to PA. The rest of us drove into Cape May, walked on the promenade and mall and ate lunch at Gecko's. We did a bit of shopping for markers and posters for Rachel and bought her a Smurfette doll. Rachel' s mom loved Smurfette when she was a young girl. Bill and Katie used to watch the Smurfs on TV regularly. Bill and Rachel spent some time on the beach during the afternoon. We had quiche for dinner. It rained for most of the night.
Tuesday, the Leitchs left early for PA. Bill and Cathy went out for a walk/run. The rain started again, so Bill ran for 5 miles in the rain and a chilly wind. Cathy spent most of the day cleaning the house. After lunch, Bill and Joe Link took the XTerra to Egg Harbor Township to pick up Joe's kayak. Bill worked on the RV later. We went out for dinner at Panico's.
Wednesday, Cathy went to the gym and got back to a normal schedule. Bill spent most of the morning getting the RV ready for storage until July. By late morning, Bill had finished and we took the RV to our storage area in Cape May Court House. Bill took a 3 hour and 15 minute kayak paddle. Part of the time, he paddled in the fog, but for most of the ride it was sunny and the Bay was very calm. Bill and Cathy ate leftovers for dinner. After dinner, we watched the finale of "24" on the laptop. The end of the season was good and left a lot for the imagination to deal with until next season.
Thursday, Bill finally caught up on his online journal. Cathy went to the gym. Bill went out for a 5K run and a 4 mile walk. As he came to our driveway, Cathy came in from the gym, so we both did some errands at the recycling center, Wal-Mart, and Starbucks. At 1:30 PM, we drove to Joe and Maria Link's house for pizza and conversation that lasted throughout the afternoon. We had light dinners.
Friday morning, Cathy went to the gym. Bill worked on washing windows and deck furniture to get the house ready to show at 1:30 PM. When Cathy came home, she joined in the effort. After lunch, we took a walk along the Bay in order to stay away from the house during the showing. Mike Cosmo, our realtor, called when the people had left and we hustled home to lock down the house and leave for Doylestown. We got on the road at 2:40 PM. We dodged rain for the trip and encountered a lot of traffic, but still made the drive in 2:50. Bill brewed some coffee at Katie and Tom's house when we arrived and restored his caffeine level. Tom grilled filets and portabello mushrooms for dinner along with jumbo baked potatoes and sauteed vegetables. He also supplied a rich chocolate dessert. We all headed to be fairly early.
Saturday started very early. Bill was up at 5:00 AM, and everyone else was on hand near 6:00 AM. Bill and Katie drove to Peace Valley to register for the Best Dam Run 10K for Autism. The morning was beautiful. Katie finished the 10K ahead of Bill, who finished in one hour flat for a 9:47 per mile pace. He finished ahead of all other runners above the age of 59, but his age category was "50 and up", so he didn't win any medal. Bill had a pain in his left heel for half of the race, but didn't let it bother him too much during the run. Afterward, the pain became acute and Bill could hardly walk for the rest of the day. Katie and Bill headed back to the Leitch's. Tom and Bill took Rachel to T-ball practice. Then we all went to lunch at Pino's Pizza on Route 202. After lunch, Bill and Cathy went to the Training Zone to buy a new pair of Brooks running shoes. Too bad he didn't buy the new shoes before the 10K race. Bill and Cathy stopped at Starbucks on the way back. The four adults went out to dinner at the Domani Star restaurant after a session at the wine bar at Paganini's. They had a good night out and appreciated the babysitter.
Sunday started a bit later. Bill was up at 6:00 AM. Bill and Katie left the house at about 8:30 AM to drive to the River Country outfitters on the Delaware River. They rented two sit-on-top kayaks for a 6.5 mile paddle down the river. They were the only riders on the bus to the launch site and almost the only people on the river. They enjoyed the warm sun and blue skies on the way down the river. Katie spotted two Bald Eagles and they saw several families of turtles. They returned to River Country a bit before noon after a lovely paddle. Cathy and Bill left Katie and Tom's about 1:30 PM and were home by 4:30 PM. We re-opened the house and Bill spent some time on the computer. We had a nice dinner at Louisa's in Cape May - fresh food, well and simply prepared. Bill viewed "Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay" - silly, but fun to watch.