Thank You .....

.......to our blogland buddies who e-mailed us and left comments for us when Daddy-O got his promotion to heaven. The road to eternity was paved with many obstacles for him in his last days and we are grateful that we were surrounded with many caring friends, family, caregivers and internetters (some of whom we don't even know) offering their prayers, support and encouragement through the process. Kudos to VITAS Hospice who guided us through an incredibly difficult month - helping us make decisions, offering medical counsel and ultimately, supporting Daddy-O when he passed on. We are grateful beyond words.Albert was buried in Whiting NJ, next to his beloved wife, my mother, of 55 years, Frances, last Thursday, July 5, 2007. The following sequence of pictures was taken when, spontaneously, a part of the family stopped at Asbury Park NJ on the way home from the funeral service ........

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Be and I detoured to Ocean Grove, NJ, (on our way home from the funeral) a square mile town established in the late 1800s by the Methodist Church for the purpose of offering retreat as well as training for missionaries. Many of them were housed in tents around the Great Auditorium, the center of the church’s operations in the town, and some of the tents still survive as vacation rentals (the waiting list is quite long). The streets are lined with Victorian homes and getaways as well as B & Bs. Until a few years ago, Ocean Grove prohibited vehicular traffic on Sundays, however the evangelical presence is felt just about everywhere you look. It was a refreshing step back in time to a place where the right things really mattered and God was lifted up……..

The Great Auditorium at the center of Ocean Grove

Tents which once housed missionaries are now 'vacation' rentals.

Be explores the tent city - over 100 of them are still in use during the summer.
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We walked a mile or so up the boardwalk to Asbury Park. My sister, brother and nephews called us as we walked trying to locate us. They decided to join us for our detour........


When I was a child (did I really progress from that time in my life? Perhaps that’s why I’m adopting) we frequented Asbury Park as a quick and easy getaway. I remember the Casino, the kiddie rides and later on, the concerts at Asbury Park Convention Hall where I saw The Who, Herman’s Hermits (in the 60s) and The Doors (in the 70s). The city went to ruin (take a look at the film "City by the Sea"), due to racial riots and the financial strains of the 70s, the place lapsed into a state of decay and ultimately died.
Two natives, Bruce Springsteen & Jon Bon Jovi, sang of their city’s finer points in their music and eventually, Asbury Park became a part of the culture of the 80s. Several years ago, a developer with a vision for the seaside town began restoring the boardwalk and the surrounding area with the hope of raising it from it’s state of ruin – and he could succeed if NJ residents and those who held the city dear respond to his plan.

Glass Works - A sign of recovery on the boardwalk.

The Stone Pony - Bruce & Jon Bon Jovi got their starts here.

Quite the dive.....

Faded Glory - Asbury Park Convention Hall

Waiting for some paint......

North boardwalk with Convention Hall

Restoration has begun.

"Tillie"

The manical grin of this clown on the former Palace Amusements building, was immortalized in Springsteen's recording of "Born to Run" and his "Tunnel of Love" music video. A nonprofit group saved the nearly 50-year-old face when the building was demolished last month for the sake of revitalization efforts, but it will remain out of sight for the time being.

Local lore has it that a 3D version of the likeness was offered to the Smithsonian -

they didn't want it.

"Well the cops finally busted Madame Marie for tellin' fortunes better than they do."

---Bruce Springsteen - 4th of July, Asbury Park---

The interior of the Casino - it housed the Merry-Go-Round

and other amusements as well as Ripley's Beleive It or Not.

On the beach - my brother Paul with sons Jason & Dale

Nephews Jason & Dale

Bizzare behavior staged by their Uncle Don