John Benjamin Morgan was born October 12, 1986. It was a Sunday and the nearby TV was broadcasting the New York Mets on their way to a World Series victory. It's 2026 and I get to visit my son in New Jersey to help celebrate his 40th birthday. (He is an incredibly good sport because my decision to visit means he's got to assist with transportation to and from Newark Liberty Airport.) He and Allison were so very acomodating and welcoming. James is fun to observe as he obsesses with Nintento Video Game tips on TV daily. Hank, their dog, is getting use to the pattern at 28 Dorset Road in Ocean, NJ too. (Ben's hilarious impression of Hank as an Italian Mob boss complaining about "Not getting the RESPECT he believes he deserves" is most entertaining.)
Saturday - My United Airlines flight is on an Airbus plane and not crowded. (I got a window seat with two empty seats in my row.) Flight on time and Ben picks me up on a sunny day and it's just about 60 degrees out.
The plan for the day is to collect flowers among the many Sun Flowers at Holland Ridge Farms. Ben, Allison, James and Allison's mom Jean are up for the activity. The place is expansive with a Windmill spinning in the distance. Hundreds of cars are parked and people que up for entrance to the place where they can cut flowers and carry them in a bucket provided. Jean, Ben and Allison are ready to fill their buckets while James mans the industrial bolt cutter to trim flowers from their root. Lots of steps in this day. After a few hours we are making our way back to the parking place closer to the entrance (where a giant cornucopia of pumpkins and squash are an early photo op location).
We locate the car parked in this huge multi-acre farm space, We load the ample supply of flowers (which will later be brilliantly arranged by Allison in the kitchen and living room at home). Jean let her purse rest on the ground behind the car. (We were in the car about to leave when Jean noticed her purse missing. The good news is that Ben was on the case almost instantly. Retracing steps to the parking spot and checking into the barn-like entrance. Presto, someone was honest enough to turn the purse in at the gift shop. Ben alerted us via cell phone that the purse was FOUND. Catastrophe averted.
Cheesecake Factory in Freehold, NJ is the Dinner plan. The minor delay with the lost purse was not able to make us miss or reservation at the crowded restaurant for our party of five. The Mac-n-Cheese is to die for; Meatball sliders for me; James loves the flatbread cheese pizza, and we could not resist sampling the Cheesecake.
Sunday - It's a rainy day in Ocean, NJ but that means we can "chill" a bit. The YouTubers on TV are offering continuous demonstrations of Nintendo Roadblox Super Mario game tips for James. (He gets up around 5:30 a m to start his day). James is recruited to help mom follow the directions with the recipe steps in making a deliciously moist Trio Leche cake which will be the central focus of Monday's Birthday Party.
James gets busy planning his own birthday party THE JAMES GAMES which will include long jump, hoops, grown-up activity and more. An trip to WalMart was achieved to design and create a sample custom stenciled sweatshirt.
Monday - Debra and David Schatzow make an early cameo appearance. Toby and her caregiver, Felicia arrive. Jean arrives. Perry, Autumn and Samson and Marlow (the Knockout) arrive. A lovely and leisurely feasting on Trio Leche cake leads to an impromptu whiffle ball baseball game with kids (including Romeo and Felix from next door for part of the game).
Tuesday - Ben is up and ready to allow Hank out to do his business and greet a new day. Incredibly, I'm in line at Newark Liberty Airport concourse C by 4:45 a.m. to make it in time for a casual Dunkin' Donut coffee while I wait for boarding that beings at 6:35 a.m.
.JPG)
