Yesterday, after breakfast at Denny’s, after waiting exactly (according to the only person more impatient that I, my father) sixty-two minutes for our food to be served, we drove back home, a few minutes before Jeff and Karen knocked on the back door. Their arrival is not so notable, but the subsequent knock on the front door is. Standing in forty degree weather, no shirt, sandals, a deep Hawaiian tan, AND a SEG, was brother Peter. As surprised as we all were, it paled in comparison to poor, sick, delusional Diane’s reaction.

We drove to the Marriott and Peter walked into our personal tuberculositarium, stood over sleeping Diane, and placed a purple and white orchid lei around her neck. She awoke, looked at the lei, had no idea what it was, other than possibly another juvenile prank by her husband, then looked into Peter’s smiling eyes, imagined they were mine- for a moment- then said, “Is that you Peter, or am I dreaming?”

Besides Peter’s surprise and a brief evening meal in her room, Diane spent another full day in bed, but today looks brave enough to venture out. There may not be great tourist attractions in Southern Indiana, but we always thoroughly enjoy our visits here, and this year’s trip will now be too closely compared to our flu-cancelled Christmas.

Last night’s dinner was another carry out ( that would be take out in New England), this one, pizza and Greek salads from The Deerhead. In spite of the raw numbers of people – Jeff, Karen and Dash too – we didn’t finish two large. What’s up with that?

Brian brought his miniature movie camera and recorded, among other things, Matt and Peter banging out thirty-five ( Peter wanted to do fifty) mano a mano pushups (looks like a training film for Navy Seals), and Matthew crushing his fit uncle in an arm wrestling contest. I warned Peter, but he couldn’t gracefully back down. At least he avoided injury, which is more than I can say. The last time I arm wrestled Matt, I thought I’d been permanently crippled.

Lastly, Brian, given the tenuous nature of this business, flew back this morning on the 10 AM flight. We’ll miss him and we’ll miss Peter doling out instructions to him for a healthier life. No, Susan, Peter’s are not like Joan’s.