I decided that when my travel season ended (which it has except for a quick overnighter next week) that I was going to take advantage of my time at home. I think I've gotten off to a good start...

Monday
Since my office was closed to honor to the first national holiday of the week, I decided to take advantage of the day by taking the crazy nephews to NYC. They love a good adventure so I figured a day with no real plan in the nation's biggest city would be right up their alley.

It was. They were wildly fired up about driving through the Lincoln Tunnel, and one of their greatest joys in life is riding the subway. We wound up in Central Park, where we walked around for a while before heading into the American Museum of Natural History. We spent a good deal of time in the Rose Center for Earth and Space and then wandered through the rest of the museum. We watched an Imax movie about dinosaurs, which Adam found so enjoyable he applauded at its conclusion (while Matthew amused himself by letting the seat collapse on him).

After a nice lunch and ice cream, it was back into the car for the trip back to the Garden State. It didn't take long before I was the only person awake in the vehicle.







Tuesday
After making my first in-office appearance in several weeks, I headed north to pick up my cousin. We planned to enjoy a sizzling plate of meat before heading to the first of two Springsteen and the E Street Band shows.

Steve's was closed for renovations for several months this summer and we feared that they were making the mistake of underestimating the importance of the low-key interior of the establishment. Shotguns hanging from the ceiling, random black-and-white photos and fish on the walls, unremarkable (some might call it shoddy) furniture. All important elements of the place's charm.

I am pleased to report they did not make this heinous judgment error. Decor = same. Meat = magical.

Speaking of Magic, then it was on to the show, which I would qualify as solid. It wasn't the best show I've ever seen, but I enjoyed it and left looking forward to night two...

Wednesday
An even shorter stop in the office, followed by a mid-afternoon trip to the Meadowlands parking lot. The folks next to us had set up a mini concert environment featuring speakers larger and louder than the ones I have in Casa Magnolia, so we enjoyed a little show-before-the-show. This may be a case of you had to be there, but sitting in a parking lot on a sunny afternoon sharing beers and conversation with a special friend watching planes fly overhead while the Springsteen catalog of songs was played at top volume was an "ain't no sin to be glad you're alive" moment.

Then it was on to the show, which was just kick-ass. I believe it will find a place in the list of the top five Bruce shows I've seen, joining the first show I ever saw, the one in Atlantic City in 2003 where I got last-minute tickets from a friend of Max Weinberg and wound up in the fourth row, and the Rising Tour finale at Shea. (I realize that only adds up to four, but I can't decide amongst the shows I've seen in Asbury Park.)

A great setlist, a lively crowd, and the band sounded just tremendous. Very tight considering it's only the fifth show of the tour. This was one I'll long remember.

After the show, we hit the Bendix Diner, always a crowd pleaser. Except there was no crowd. In fact, Shan and I were the only customers in the diner. Sitting in a booth in the window as traffic sped by on 17, it almost felt like we were in our own little movie. Given the Bendix's cinematic history, perhaps that's to be expected.

Thursday
Because I've obviously overdone it thus far with the working this week, I took today off to:
a) recuperate from the excitement of the past two nights
b) honor the national holiday I missed yesterday
c) run a variety of errands
d) prepare for the upcoming weekend, during which I will watch the Crazy Trio for four days.

Yes, I am watching three children, all under the age of seven, for four days. Oh, and the dog, so that's almost like a fourth child.

I'm sure family members are quietly taking bets as to how this is going to go. I'm confident it will be fine, although I do plan to ask my brother and sister-in-law to sign a document confirming they will in fact return, and not permanently leave their wild brook in my care.

So I anticipate one of two things happening during the next few days: either I will be posting constantly with a variety of amusing anecdotes about life as a temporary child-care provider, or you will not hear from me for several days.

If ever again...