Nard, interesting! For a reason possibly known only to those of us who have been here for quite a while now, maybe the nostalgia which seemed to present itself quite unexpewctedly was flamed by "three sparks." Dandy's post, a talk with Biplane, and yesterday's return here to our old stomping grounds.

I don't think the atmosphere is just right on the surface of the other blue planet. It is nice to still be able to touch bases HERE with the likes of you, grasstain, D., BpII, Raven, Lskpr, and Mr. D from time to time. I guess it's like tending to the lawns, watering the flowers and wandering into the trees -- even if just for a few minutes!

Vacation. I'll drop in from time to time and see how all are doing. Possibly heading to Nova Scotia in the coming weeks: great seafood, coastlines, and lighthouses!! And a pile of books, just waiting...

fjpalumbo: Thanks for your comments. Have a great vacation. Nova Scotia sounds like a place at the ends of the earth.

Hope this 'place' sticks around for while...

No vacation for me this year. We shot our fiscal wad on our youngest son's wedding, reception, and honeymoon! Uff da!
THEY (bride & groom), however, will be going to Wales and the North of England.
I'll continue to take mini-vacations right here...

Enjoyed the above reading very, very much.

Nard, I agree: fjpalumbo, ". . .hoping I had offered my best. . ."--what a great life-image.

In '80, my grandma passed away unexpectedly. Dad sold 80 acres of the farm to pay the estate taxes, putting us out of business. Her home was never lived in again. The reality of what's left of that old home, still standing, pales next to my memory of a seeming thousand summers. I first read Ray there. My dad still owns that ground though someone else farms it now. Once or twice a year, I still visit.

Hope everyone enjoys their vacation. I've but a single day left. Financial constraints kept us from going anywhere this year, but the unobligated time with wife/kids has been great. We ate grilled corn-on-the-cob last evening.

ravenswake:

Where abouts do you generally live in Southern Illinois?

Nard, U.S. 50, one of the few remaining coast-to-coast two-lane highways, is just a couple miles south of us. Locally, 50 runs from Vincennes, IN, to St. Louis, and we're about 40 miles west of Vincennes.

The post of fj touched me on so many deep and essential levels I have as yet been unable to frame a proper response.

dandelion:
Get a grip on yourself.

fjpalumbo:
I read your post and I think.... "I better get a grip on myself as well....."

ravenswake:
Thanks for describing your position on the world globe.

BralingII:
Okay it's your turn. Where in the world exactly are these mini-vacations you're talking about?

__________

�� QUESTION OF THE DAY �
Do any of us know really just how influenced we are by Ray Bradbury being alive in our lifetime? I do not think we can measure it! It's THAT much!!!

__________

Sam Weller has disappeared. (I think)!!

I emailed him twice pertaining to his possible visit to Steve Ditko, co-creator of 'Spider-Man', that he said he would try to make in New York. I called Steve up on the phone and told hm about Sam. Sam said he'd stop by Steve's office when in New York couple weeks ago. But no Sam on the email circuit as of tonight. Oh, Sam has so many things going. Think about it:

��Teaches as Columbia College in Chicago
� Has a family, wife and child
� Multi-Projects in writing (more than I would count)
��Still getting to LA to visit Ray (thru the Summer) and faithfully at authograph sessions with the 'man'
� All that ...and visit Ditko as well.

Well, I hope he did ....!

NK,
Mini vacations right here on the Old Board. Believe me, a different world than that in which I spend most of my time; different friends, topics of discussion, method of discussion, etc...

Here it is the 7th, Thursday early in the morning....and the main Bradbury board is down. But there doesn't seem to be any activity here since the 5th. Cori said she'd be gone for a day or two...Aha! That's what happened....!!

Yep, off on another trip on the good ship Nautilus!