Just so I can remember.

Outside temperature: a lovely 69.5 degrees: humidity 71%

Which is very cool considering our temps of the past few weeks.

Pool water temp: 84 degrees.

You do the math. 

Air temp vs. Pool temp = heaven

30 lengths of the pool.

Cicadas singing.

No bats.

One firefly. (Obviously still looking for love in all the wrong places.)

Alex bringing me "Pink Bunny" today. Also helping me cook dinner.

Air conditioning off for the first time in one month. Windows open.

Perfection in one blessed day.

I don't know if it gets any better.

Photo:  Lily pads and rain drops at Skylands today.

On Sunday we did something that Rick has been wanting to do for a long time now and that is meet up with the Miata club for a drive, or a "run" as they call it. Most of the runs have been too far away with the southern New Jersey club, or the other club that we knew of in Pennsylvania was too far as well. When he heard of the Del-Val (Delaware Valley) club's run on Sunday and it was only a one and one-half hour drive for us to meet up with them we decided to go.

Our meet-up was at Hot Dog Johnny's in Buttzville, New Jersey close to the Pennsylvania border. It's a fairly famous old-fashioned hot dog stand, and goodness knows, New Jersey folks love their dogs. We sampled the dogs (mine was mustard and onions, Rick's was mustard and ketchup) with a side of fries and a delicious cold birch beer. We found the president of the Miata club and introduced ourselves, adding our name to the sign-up sheet. Miatas kept pouring in, filling the already full-to-bursting parking lot. Johnny's does a hopping business!

We all gathered around for our driving instructions and a brief go-over of the run. It all seemed pretty well planned. The lead driver had a CB radio, as did a person mid-pack, and the person bringing up the rear would have a CB too so that we could all stay together, even if we got separated. Staying together seemed pretty unlikely to me since I counted 25 Miatas joining our little sports car parade.

We pulled out of the parking lot en masse as best we could with traffic conditions with Rick and I ending up fourth in the pack, then a little way down the road we all pulled off to let everyone catch up. Once we were all together, we were off!

Our drive took us over winding little back roads. Through one-lane tunnels …

and picturesque little towns …

over the river … (Delaware)

and through the woods …

The drive along the Delaware River on the Pennsylvania side was just beautiful.

We kept together pretty well and only got separated once at a stop light. Again, we all pulled over to wait. We got some strange looks from people driving by. Our mid-run stop was at an ice cream shop. We were quite the sight as we all pulled in next to each other, and still we didn't all fit side by side.

The drive ended up at Childs Park near Dingmans Ferry where most people hiked a trail up to some waterfalls, but Rick and I headed home as it was getting pretty late in the afternoon and we still had the one and one-half hour drive home. 

All in all it was very well organized and a fun way to spend the day. The club is having another run this weekend about the same distance away, but it ends very close to where we live so we signed up for that one too. We get to see countryside we haven't seen before while finding new back roads to take, so what's not to like?

Joining it with Kath's Song-ography for "Up On the Roof" this week. All photos taken on vacation in Cartagena, Colombia from the roof top lookout of our small boutique hotel.

Remission. Such a lovely word, don't you think? How about complete remission? That's what the vet told me today at Alex's chemotherapy appointment. What great news!!! All his lymph nodes are normal size. Of course, now that we've gotten the cancer knocked back we have to keep it there. We have two more rounds of chemo in this cycle and then we have to repeat the weekly cycle again with the same drugs. If all goes well after that we can go to every other week treatments. 

Today's drug is supposed to be easy on the system, so my fingers are crossed that he doesn't get any ill side effects this time. Our oncology vet is going to be off next Thursday and Friday, and since the drug will once again be the same one he had last week that didn't go over so well, he's giving Alex the week off and we'll go the following Tuesday instead of our normal Friday. He'll also reduce the dosage he gives him the next time because of Alex's reaction to it. 

So right now things are looking very good for Mr. Alex! Keep the good thoughts coming his way--he still has a long way to go.

Photo: Umbrella at the Cafe del Mar, Cartagena.

We had to laugh at this menu board in Cartagena. Bless their hearts, they tried to translate the menu into English, but if you look at the fourth item down from the top "Pulpo en Salsa de Mani" gets translated as "Pulp in Peanut Sauce" instead of octopus. I could eat ceviche all summer long, it's so refreshing. Especially as good as what we ate while we down there.

P.S. I caught my reflection in the window which I just now realized!