July 2

I saw the caricature of caricatures today.  Mike and I went to a higher end grocery store, 'Healthy Living,' known locally as 'Wealthy Living' for its prices, where, because I have not had the chance to take them out to dinner, I purchased wine and some fine antipasto fixings.  There, in all its deliberately rusted steel glory, was a sculpture of a tree with what looked at first glance like a small gas hose and nozzle attached.  With letters cut out of the steel of the tree, it proudly announced that it was a "Solar Powered Electric Vehicle Charging Station."  The smug factor was palpable.  If you guessed what it was before I told you, you win a Tesla, if you can find someone to pay for it, 'cause I'm not.  Unfortunately, I did not have my phone with me so I cannot send you a picture of this marvel.  (Think for a second how odd that would sound just a few years ago.  "Didn't have my phone so I can't send you a picture.")

Still eating all too well.  Mike took me to one of his and Chez's hangouts for a lunch of New England clam chowder, fried clams, and wine.  For dinner, we had antipasto, featuring four different Italian cheeses, a fine salami, peperoncini, and green and black olives, followed by about a pound of fresh steamed clams, followed by fresh gulf shrimp over grits, and fresh, shelled peas accompanied by freshly baked bread.  All this was, of course, accompanied by several bottles of wine.  Dessert was fresh pastries, two kinds.  The bread and dessert were furnished by my second cousin and his significant other who dropped in on their way from the Boston area to Montreal.  His name is also Michael, so we had two Michael Devines sitting at the table.  The younger is the son of Mike's brother, John.  I'd never met him before, so it was a neat evening.  A neat evening that broke up late, I might add.  I waddled off to bed a very tired pup.

Aside from enjoying great company, I did laundry, stretches and exercises today.  Canada tomorrow.