Day 24 – Tuckertown, Rhode Island

I need to advise my readers that you will see some changes in the blog over the next few days.  As Geri and Don are tripping off to Long Island, I will not be dictating the contents of each evening’s piece after tonight, until they return.  In fact, I had to instruct Don as to what I wanted in the blog tonight before they left Joanne’s, and I will not have an opportunity to proof it before it’s published.  So, reader beware. 

We had a really good walk again this morning; this place is loaded with roads and trails all over the place, boatloads of squirrels and chipmunks, and big grassy areas ripe for rolling.  I really like it here.  After our walk, we worked on getting all my gear together for transport over to Joanne’s, which I tried to closely supervise.  We got over to her house a little before noon, and saw that the place was littered with the trucks of the guys who were pouring and finishing the concrete deck around the new swimming pool.  We all had a little lunch, and I shared some of my Yummy Chummies with Gracie, who thanked me graciously. 

The rest of the day was pretty boring for Gracie and me, as the folks were all out getting their paws polished or renting cars or shopping for something, so we did a lot of snoozing.  We don’t get our spa day until tomorrow.  When they all got home, Joanne cooked up what Don called a supercalifragilistic dinner, which means it was really good, including steaks, asparagus and roast potatoes.  Don had to have some of the leftover pasta as an appetizer.  Shortly after we all ate (Gracie and I got some good steak leavings), Geri and Don packed up and hit the road.  I know I’ll miss them, as they are my real family, and I love them dearly, but Joanne and Gracie are very good company, and I know I’ll have fun here for a few days. 

I’d like to take the opportunity on this slow news day to provide some alternate viewpoints on the subject of Don and Joanne’s early days, which I reported on from Don’s perspective a couple of days ago.  I had the opportunity to listen to Geri and Joanne discuss Don’s recounting of the basic elements of that period, and, to put it mildly, they were finding fault with it.  Not to say that his description was totally without merit, but that most of it was.  If I were to try to synopsize Joanne’s perspective, with which Geri totally agreed, it would read sort of like this: 

Don showed up in our Long Beach Office without a friend in the world, carrying a lot of personal baggage, including a vile-tempered, hateful and alcoholic girlfriend.  He was, nonetheless, a rather likeable sad sack, so some people in the office, including Joanne, were friendly to him and made him feel like part of the gang.  Joanne, particularly, was helpful in advising him to rid himself of his old baggage (girlfriend), who she felt was a bad influence.  She was happy when that move was finally accomplished, but distraught when his newfound freedom led him into consortiums with women she didn’t approve of, dance-hall girls and ex-wives.  She was constantly counseling him to try to find a woman more attuned to his better nature, rather than his coarser desires.  When Geri finally showed up in their office for a visit, and Don showed an interest, Joanne urged him to pursue it, which he eventually did.  In short, Joanne feels that her participation in Don’s reclamation of his life was vital and essential, leading to the eventual union of Don and Geri’s lives.  Geri agrees.  Don is a Poo-Poo Head.

Hope this settles any disagreements on this score.  I’ll be rejoining you next Monday, after my holiday weekend is over.  See ya then!