Flashbacks...

Galina and I went to a place called 'Amalfi' the other day for lunch, and while we were there, I borrowed what appeared to be the "duty" container of parmesan from a table occupied by a man somewhat younger than myself, sitting across from a woman old enough to be his mother.

We exchanged pleasantries as I seized the cheese, and as I turned to our table, I was struck by the situation at that table, which was not all that much different from the times my mother and I spent at similar tables over the years.

Except that'll never happen again, crossed my mind, and it was like a viscious slap across the face, and my throat tightened up.

Just sayin'...

A supremely frustrating day...

For a variety of reasons, I didn't get around to renting a truck until today, and that was a "big mistake" (said with the humor and warmth of the movie actor who has very nearly made those two words a trademark expression).

Prices around this time of year are about double what they were in April of last year, so Galina and I decided we would not rent a truck for the trip back to Colorado.

As it happens, a one-way car rental isn't in the tea leaves, either, as several of the "name" companies we talked to (Budget's web site says it understands the concept of "one way" rental, but the implementation falls far short of that goal, and that got us started on calling, but I digress...), as I was saying, the companies we spoke with said they either had nothing available or didn't engage in such shenanigans, at least not in July.

So it's looking like we'll be flying back.

And it has only taken me the past nearly 6 hours to nail that down. I have not lifted even a pinky finger today, yet, in support of the reason for coming here in the first place.

Le sigh. Squared.

Cheers...