Jan and Peter, in one day (Thurs., July 24)

At noon we picked up Ms. Realtor Jan O'Neill,  of the County Kerry O'Neill's, and drove down to meet Julie for an our-treat lunch at a small Italian bistro in Scotts Valley, "In Vino Veritas."  We didn't have any vino, but we had some nice pasta and a delicious baby-beet and egg salad (better than it sounds).  Jan and Julie have done so much, together and separately, to facilitate our moving-in up here, and they enjoy each other's company a lot.

In the evening while we were fixing our supper just after dark, a weird apparition came into view outside our new kitchen window: a ghostly figure, waving cheerily.  "John!" I yelled, "there's something out there trying to get in!"  Brave husband went to the front door, and lo: it was Peter the Hermit, home already from Merrie England and stopping over to say "I'm baaack."  After just a bit over a week, he'd had enough -- "It's 40 pence to the dollar there, dammit!" he moaned, and "Worst mistake I've ever made in my life!" he groaned (frankly, I doubt that, from the look of him).

But his mistake is our gain; we're delighted to have him back.  Little Ashley was having a bit too much of a good time in Daddy's cottage after he left, and we were a bit worried that things would be getting louder and louder as summer wore on (you know how kids are when the parents are away, I assume?)  That worry is now over; and Peter, who gave me the Clavinova piano before he left, you'll remember, is a great neighbor -- and I think he'll become a very good friend.