Leaving Myrtle Beach behind early this morning, I spent the whole day driving north and west through North Carolina, Virginia, through Washington, DC and into Maryland. I hit an hour long delay on 495 getting around DC. Eight long hours of driving - Ugh! I hate traffic - LOL! Michelle's girls are at their father's, and they have a new baby brother, Ryder. Todd's boys, Ryan and John are here for summer vacation and it's great seeing them. Ryan is 16 and John is 14 and they are both into Star Wars. We played a family Sequence game, and now the boys are playing Star Wars video games in the family room. Tonight is going to be an early one for me. Time to catch up on some well needed sleep time!... read more

Today was a beautiful day in Myrtle Beach. Weather was perfect, the ocean was warm, and the atmosphere was one of normalization: people being people again, most respecting other peoples' spaces. Spent the day with long-time friends, Jim and Maureen Purcell. Jim was my Sergeant and then Lieutenant at the Attleboro Police Department, some 40 years ago. We reminisced about "the old days" way back, when things were so different, especially in light of recent policing news. It's great to catch up with people we were so close with, a tight-knit group of some mostly really great, caring officers. Jim is now a TSA training officer and Maureen works at "The Alabama Theater", the greatest live variety show in Myrtle Beach. Myrtle Beach is a great vacation resort on the Atlantic Ocean in South Carolina ... read more

My house is secure, my car is cleaned and packed and I am ready to roll out for my Excellent Summer Adventure. I am so excited! I love to travel and this trip will be about places I'll visit, but more importantly about reconnecting with family and friends. First stop today is with my nephew, Kyle and his fiancé, Rebecca here in beautiful Savannah, GA. Didn't get any time to explore Savannah this trip, but last fall when I was here for a few days, I got to see a lot of the city. I love all the city parks and green spaces - it's a great walking city! The kids and I went to a new restaurant, Current Kitchen and Cocktails on Wilmington Island. I had some great sushi and good wine. We talked ... read more