seein' mom, and cape may

 The Excellent Wife (TEW) and I took off this week; so went up to Buffalo to see my mother. Her memory's unreliable these days; she doesn't always remember that she's got a brother Jim AND a son Jim; while she usually remembers that I'm married, she hasn't remembered Regina's name in months; she keeps complaining that my sister is angry and won't call, despite the sister's daily phone contact.

My relationship with my parents was complicated, We went, I'll admit, because TEW felt sorry for my mother (more so than I felt). TEW brought an album from our wedding, and they had a happy time going through it.

We also dropped in on my sister and her husband (or, more properly, met them at dinner, along with my brother-in-law's brother and his wife, and another couple who are friends of theirs). We were invited to a birthday party for the other couple the next night. TEW couldn't think of a graceful way to get out, so we went... but that was weird. (On the other hand, they really were most welcoming.)

That was Saturday and Sunday. On Monday, we drove back home, stopped for a few minutes to swap bags (we had pre-packed separate bags for this part of the trip) and loaded up the bikes, and headed for Cape May.

We rode bikes every day, using a route adapted from Tom H's Road Biking NJ book. You can see the route I set up here, and our rides for Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. (We added miles - some not reported here - and shortened, as we needed).

 TEW wanted to buy a pair of gloves, so we stopped in at a shop that had this wall screen made of bike parts built into wheels. I love it.

TEW loves being at the water anywhere, and I like Cape May particularly; it attracts geezers (as opposed to the youngsters at Seaside or the families at Point Pleasant, although there are some of both), and I love the Victoriana; there's a Renaissance-fair feeling to it - not authentic, but fun, nonetheless.

WE stayed at an AirBNB.

We also walked through the Nature Conservancy bird sanctuary on Sunset Boulevard.

And, of course, we ate good seafood, and almost enough Ben & Jerry's. And I finally got some Cape May fudge. I'm glad I did, but I won't have to do that again.