YESTERDAY WAS PETE'S BIRTHDAY 04/23/01

Subj: Mindwalkers - Yesterday was Pete's birthday
Date: 4/23/01 10:17:02 PM Eastern Daylight Time

Pete would have been 89 yesterday (I robbed the cradle). I felt his presence especially close to me throughout the day. Then, last night, something happened that made me feel him so near to me I could almost hear his voice and feel the touch of his hand. The classical music station started playing "Rhapsody in Blue." That was Pete's favorite piece of music. I could not believe it when it started playing.

Sitting there in the big chair in the living room, I thought about one of my favorite newspaper cartoons, Family Circus. A running theme has to do with the grandparents, the grandfather who died several years ago. The cartoon will show the angel grandfather watching over the family and his beloved wife. That is how it felt yesterday, like Pete was right there with me, only I hadn't the eyes yet to see him. What a lovely present from the birthday boy to his best girl.

Elsa called from work today and said, "Let's go out for supper tonight to celebrate Dad's birthday!" The three of us had a lovely time - we went to Mike's Street Road Grill. It practically felt like a family celebration, since we used a gift certificate that Peter had given Elsa for Christmas. So, we celebrated one Pete while Elsa sprang for dinner using a gift certificate from another. Our bill came to just $1.95 over the amount of the gift certificate. Not bad planning, especially since we all started with a drink (I had a lovely merlot) and John not only got the grilled salmon, he also got a side order of french fries and ice cream for dessert. A man after Pete's heart. Oh, and we ordered stuffed potato skins.

It was a just a few days ago that I confessed to Elsa that I had a craving for stuffed potato skins, with cheddar cheese and bacon and sour cream. That is exactly what we got tonight. Six well-stuffed skins arrived and we each ate two. John did not finish all of his and Elsa left a few morsels, but I ate every bite of mine.

I am a potato skin fan from way back. In the Reynolds-Lockhart house, when we had baked potatoes we'd scoop out the innards and throw it away, then butter up and eat the skins. Heavenly.

My favorite potato skin story begins with a Thursday night visit by Elsa and myself to Brittingham's. It turned out that the Irish lads (friends of ours) who were supposed to be playing that night had cancelled, leaving two very disappointed ladies. Elsa came up with a plan to salvage the evening - she suggested we go to Morley's in Norristown for a pint of Harp and a platter of their wonderful stuffed potato skins. Well, Chris Morley was so surprised to see us show up on a Thursday, you could have knocked him over with a feather. While we were waiting for our skins to arrive, he could not resist coming over and asking what brought us there on a Thursday night. Elsa looked him straight in the eye and said, "Mom had a craving for your potato skins." Well, bless the dear girl. After that explanation, which completely left out any mention of Brittingham's, I could do no wrong as far as Chris was concerned.

Morley's was a special place. Back in her single days, when Elsa went for music and stayed late, Chris always saw her out to her car. People would sign $1 bills and Chris put them up on the walls, like wall paper. We took Gay there and she gave him a $2 bill signed by Bill Simon. Dave and Candy had their $1 bills up and so did other friends we took over. Elsa said she had to mind her step at Morley's, what with the presence of family and friends looking over her. I miss Morley's, which had great music, great owners and great food, but I am certainly glad to have experienced it - and enjoyed their outstanding stuffed potato skins.

With all this activity today - and with summertime-like weather (mid-80s today) - this Gramster is ready to head up the wooden hill.

What a lovely way to fall asleep - with the taste of the potato skins just a memory away, Pete tucked away in my heart, and lovely thoughts of Chris and his crew.

Nite nite and God bless - Pete's Girl