how i spent my 1st day of summer vacation

Well, first I went to church.
No, wait, first, I had coffee and pepperoni eggs and read a story in the Smithsonian's May issue.
It was about George Harrison, one of my favorite Beatles!
Then I went to the online viewing parties my church has instead of services now.
They're a good mix of fun and serious, like the live church was, but I especially like the special guests that help us stretch before Reverend Billy Hester's sermon.

In the email yesterday from Asbury Memorial, we were told the special guest was even a surprise to the minister this time!
Well, yee doggie, as Jed Clampett used to say!
So, even though I was a tad late, I made sure to be there when the 27:30 mark came 'round.
(Check the video, you'll get it.)
And it was my man, Elvis, hiding in the prop closet in his white jumpsuit!
Sure, he's gray and shaggy, but the man is 85 years old now.

I think he's hawwtt - RAWR!!!
He had us doing some of his classic exercises, like lip curls and shoulder lifts and knee raises.
He even threw in several scarf tossing lessons!
No, he didn't sing for us, but his voice was all over the music in the background, so that was good.
Then, the man left the building, as he always did - with great aplomb and full of grace!
Rev. Billy was so surprised!!!

After church, I got cleaned up and headed out into the sunshine!
My destination: the grave of my dear Sam Johnson.
Honestly, I should have gone for his birthday last Sunday, but I was at a cookout, eating ribs and running an experiment.
I knew the man would understand.
He well knows my love of ribs!
(smile)
So, as I do to honor his birthday and the good times we had, I took a huge bag with me...

and filled it with dead flowers and broken graveside ornaments...
deflated mylar balloons and shattered plastic picket fences...
ribbons of many colors and left-behind beverage containers...
stray cardboard boxes and crumbling styrofoam rings.
When I departed, he and his new peeps had a much cleaner home.
Catch you on the flip side, my deejay and karaoke friend!

Next stop: Greenwich, all aboard!
The weather was still holding, with no pop-up afternoon shower just yet.
I had another bag with me for any trash there, but the Barry family area was clean - hooray!
I stayed for a while, chatting with Mama while sending "Happy Father's Day!" texts.
Oh! And I found out about that rose with the solar panel!
Tony and Laura placed it there, to light up Mama's night.

Tony also warned me that heavy rain was imminent.
By the time the first sprinkles fell, I had moved into the car - whew!
I drove over to Jean Marie's place to check it out.
No, the branches were definitely not still there, but at least her graveside sign was still intact.
Within fifteen minutes, the rain had slowed and stopped.
Within another fifteen minutes, I'd found some pretty pink rocks for her and set the branches.
Time to head home for lunch!