2 comments/ 58507 views/ 1 favorites Seventeen Days in June By: stanleytpowers From June 1 through June 18 of 2005, I vacationed at the Pleasure Grove Resort located near Cleveland, Georgia. Pleasure Grove is a lifestyle friendly nudist resort nestled in the scenic Blue Ridge Mountains. I kept an electronic journal of my visit and emailed daily entries to friends. The eighteen journal entries, one chronicling each day, have been edited and consolidated into this writing. With the exception of Grove employees and photojournalists Michael and Vicki, all names have been changed to protect the privacy of individuals mentioned herein. My wife, Connie, joined me during three three-day weekends, but was unable to get any more time off work. Thus, I was often alone during the week. I believe there is great value in spending time alone. My aloneness afforded me a period of time during which there were few outside distractions or demands, so it was a time for books and private thoughts. And it was a time of personal reflection, spiritual renewal and a time to fully appreciate all that is mine. I will likely re-read my journal periodically and will do so always with a smile. * Day 1, Wednesday, June 1, 2005 I arrived at 4:00 pm and immediately went to work setting up camp. It was raining, but not too hard. After the tent was successfully set up, I hit the shower and hot tub. I met another couple, Faith and Don, in the hot tub and we chatted briefly before they returned to their motel room. After soaking, I went inside the club house and shot the breeze with Terri and Buddy for awhile. During this time, all hell broke loose weather-wise. It started pouring and continued all night long. I was hungry and it was far too wet to cook, so I brought bread, snacks and lunch meat into the club house for dinner. My turkey sandwich hit the spot. After dinner, I returned to the hot tub. The tub was hot and the rain cold. This mixture was sensual, even erotic, as I allowed my body to fully experience these sensations. I would like to have shared the moment with a woman and missed Connie's company. During the remainder of the evening, I sat on the patio deck, drank beer and enjoyed the ambiance. There are times when the sight, sound and smell of rain are magical. This was one of those times. I got sleepy and returned to the camp site around 11:00 pm. Thank God, the tent was dry and remained so throughout the night while the rain continued to pour down. Day 2, Thursday, June 2, 2005 Cathy and Mat have very generously allowed me to set up my laptop in Cathy's office located in downtown Cleveland. I spent a good part of the morning trying to connect to their network and DSL gateway. So far, I have not been successful. Their son, a computer guru, will work on this issue for me. In the meantime, I connected through a local dial-up number and was able to successfully retrieve my emails. The rain finally stopped around noon. It was very overcast the rest of the day, but, at long last, I could freely move about without getting soaked. After returning to the Grove, I took a long swim. The water was cold from all of the rain, but my body adjusted and I found the water and cool, damp outside air refreshing. Two new couples arrived today. Michael and Vicki lead an interesting life, traveling the country full time in their luxury 40 foot, quad slide-out motor home. They write and photo shoot for two adult and one swinger magazine. The adult magazines are called "Over 40" and "Over 50". As the names imply, they feature mature women. I can't recall the name of the swinger publication. They travel the country, visit nudist resorts and attend major lifestyle events. I was intrigued to learn that he writes all of the stories, but does so under her name because their readers find female authorship more erotic. Because men and women tend to have different writing styles, I asked if anyone has seen through this bit of trickery. They informed me that, thus far, no one has. Joe and Amanda arrived late, after dark. They are from Indianapolis and stopped at the Grove on their way home after visiting their children who live in the South. After they got out of the hot tub, we chatted on the patio deck for some time. They are active in the lifestyle and eager to discover the joys of combining nudism with the pleasures of the lifestyle. I assured them that they are at the right place. I often tell Connie, "I love you: mind, body and spirit." She typically replies, "Yeah, and I know in which order." Well, today, she may be right. Last weekend, we traveled to Louisville, Kentucky and handed over our two young daughters to grandparents and aunts for the next three weeks. For whatever reason, life interfered and we failed to make love during the period after returning from Louisville on Monday until my departure for the Grove on Wednesday. Connie is due to arrive around mid-afternoon tomorrow and I sure hope our first order of business involves a visit to the Charter House ("CH"), the Grove's play house, for an extended love making session. Day 3, Friday, June 3, 2005 Already, I have fallen into a routine. I awake around 7:00, soak in the hot tub and then it's off to town. In Cleveland, I eat breakfast at Ma Gooch's, pick up supplies at Ingles and then proceed to Cathy's office to retrieve emails and perform other tasks common to my business. I still have not seen sunshine. There were only a few scattered showers, but it remained heavily overcast through-out the day. I spent most of the afternoon reading while awaiting Connie's arrival. I read "The Ethical Sluts" last year at Hedo II, but a heavy rain storm destroyed the book before Connie had a chance to read it. I recently purchased another copy for her to read but she has thus far failed to get to it, so now I'm reading it again. The book deals, simply and superbly, with the emotional and psychological aspects of non-monogamy. The chapter on jealousy alone is well worth the price of the book. Connie arrived late, around 7:00 pm. She took the day off and apparently enjoyed her time alone, sans husband and children. She lounged around the house most of the day before heading for the Grove. We immediately headed to the club house where we enjoyed a fine dinner. Debbie works her butt off and always seems to come up with excellent dishes for the guests. A group of four couples, including Connie and me, went to the CH after conversing for a long time in the hot tub. Initially, the group room resembled a Chinese fire drill as we sorted out who was going to do what to whom. The result was a good news/bad news mixed bag. In the hot tub, Connie and Joe made no secret of their intentions by playing footsie; however, before they could hook up in the group room, someone else rather rudely jumped in. Connie dealt with the situation and before long she and Joe were doing their thing. I was drawn to Indigo, a woman with an attractive, youthful body. Earlier, to test the water, I sat next to her on a small bench by the hot tub. Instead of pulling away, she pressed her hips and thighs into mine, a promising sign indeed. We managed to find each other when the fire drill unfolded and spent a pleasurable evening together. Day 4, Saturday, June 4, 2005 Sunshine, at last! The sky was still somewhat overcast, but the sun managed to break through. It was very hot and we did all of the usual poolside sun and fun stuff. At the CH, or any other party situation, Connie and I make it a point to reserve the last round for ourselves. Unfortunately, that didn't happen Friday night. I got much needed stress relief, but still had not made love to my wife. In order to rectify this situation, we vowed to reserve Saturday exclusively for ourselves. The theme for the evening was Naughty School Girl and Connie looked very hot in her outfit. The plan was to attend the dance and then leave early for the CH before anyone else arrived. We departed even earlier than expected. Two minutes in the club house breathing toxic, smoke-filled air and risking hearing impairment from the overly loud music was all we could handle. As expected, we had the CH to ourselves. I know where Doc (Doctor Steve, the resort owner) keeps his S/M inventory of flogging tools, so I borrowed a flogger with which to punish Connie for being so naughty. We went to a private room and I had Connie lay naked, spread-eagled face down on the bed with her legs overhanging. I stood between her legs and went to work on her butt cheeks. In the interest of marital harmony and self-preservation, all of my strokes were gentle. Afterwards, we made love. Later that evening, Michael and Vicki were doing a photo shoot in the S/M room. Connie and I were rather innocently watching the shoot; nonetheless, Doc concluded, as I had earlier, that Connie was indeed naughty and in need of punishment. He brought out his full array of floggers, paddles and buggy whips. He positioned me in a chair and had Connie support her arms on the chair rests as she bent over. I was perfectly postured to kiss and console her as Doc worked his magic on her hind quarters using many of his disciplinary tools. Unlike my earlier administrations, her ass resembled the color of Rudolf's nose at the conclusion of her punishment. Doc knew what he was doing and definitely got away with far more than what she would have ever allowed me to do. I touched her genitals for evidence of arousal and she was soaked. I've never been seriously into kink, but there must be something about it that works. I gave her two options: A.) more sex or B.) return to the tent. She replied, "C.) more sex in the tent." And so it was. Day 5, Sunday, June 5, 2005 We slept late and awoke to a beautiful day. The sun is more intense in the mountains than in the city, so it felt very warm. The pool, after being so cold mid-week, was now like bath water. Connie enjoyed the warm water, but I would have preferred a more refreshing few degrees cooler temperature. Like Saturday, we did the usual poolside fun things. For lunch, Ralph and Kimberly invited us to their RV for hamburgers. They are longtime Grove regulars whom we have spoken to in the past, but had never gotten to know. We had an enjoyable time together. It rained in the late afternoon, but cleared by early evening. After the rain, we swam for about an hour and then returned to the campsite for dinner. I cooked while Connie read in the tent. Occasionally spying through the screen enclosure, I was aroused by the sight of her curled naked on the mattress. I commented about the delightful view and offered to give her a sensual touch massage. After dinner, we headed to the CH for Connie's massage session. We were alone except for a period of about 30 minutes during which we heard sex noises coming from the lower level. The quiet atmosphere contrasted greatly with the high energy level of the previous evening at the CH, and we very much enjoyed the more laid back setting. Afterwards, we went downstairs to a private room. Massage is hard work, but I was amply rewarded for my efforts. Day 6, Monday, June 6, 2005 It was back to the weekday routine and Connie's last day until next weekend. She joined me as I made the rounds to Ma Gooch's, Ingles and Cathy's office. Afterwards, in order to ensure that we had an unrushed opportunity to say goodbye properly, we stopped at the CH on the way back to camp. My longstanding belief that nothing beats conjugal sex was reinforced. I dropped off Connie poolside in route to camp where I fetched cold cuts and snacks. We had an enjoyable lunch on the patio deck and then spent the afternoon reading and swimming. Later, we drove to Helen for dinner at La Cabana's where it was raining very hard. We chose an outdoor table and enjoyed a fine Mexican meal, as well as the rainy ambiance. After dropping me off at our camp site, Connie immediately headed for home. Tomorrow would be a work day and she was anxious to get a good night's rest. Before her departure, we exchanged goodbyes, kisses and a few gropes that I knew would have to last me until Friday. I returned poolside to read. Before long, the weather gods unleashed their fury on the Grove. It was reminiscent of last Wednesday when I first arrived, except the lightning was much more severe. I pulled my chair under the patio deck cover and, reluctantly, but pragmatically, put on my sweats for warmth. At some point, I fell asleep and woke up around midnight. The rain had stopped and I was able to return to camp without getting wet. Day 7, Tuesday, June 7, 2005 It was another beautiful day at the Grove. Thunderstorms came as expected around 8:00 pm, but until then the weather was perfect. I worked longer than usual at Cathy's office and got hungry before leaving around 2:30 pm. Cathy suggested that I grab a sandwich at Creekside Deli. I can highly recommend this restaurant; the food was great. Mark and Joanne arrived yesterday by motorcycle from Vermont. They stopped at the Grove in route to Austin, Texas where Joanne's brother is getting married. Their age difference is similar to that of Connie and me, but they are younger. I would guess that she is in her mid-twenties. We spoke often through-out the day. There is a certain desensitizing that happens to me and I assume other men in a nudist environment. In general, I am no more attracted to naked than fully clothed women. With Joanne, it is different. She is thin with perky, natural breasts and I very much enjoyed her nakedness. Their Vermont-acclimated blood is thick. When the storms came in the evening, I once again changed into my sweats for warmth. They remained naked as we chatted for several hours on the patio deck, both seemingly oblivious to the declining temperature and cool breeze. Joanne's continued nakedness only compounded my lust. Day 8, Wednesday, June 8, 2005 Each morning after a brief soak in the hot tub, I do camp chores. These chores typically involve adding air to the mattress, making the bed, draining the cooler and organizing clothes and supplies in the car. As usual, I performed these tasks and then it was off to town. After returning to the Grove, I alternated between reading and swimming for the rest of the afternoon. It was very warm, so I could not read very long without cooling off. The pool, having been cooled by all of the rain, was now more refreshing. Domino's delivers! Having grown weary of my daily ration of soup and sandwiches, I ordered a pizza for dinner. I called from the office and met the delivery person at the gate. Fortunately, I remembered to put on my shorts. Late evenings, figuring there is no point in going to the tent prematurely just to stare at nylon walls, I lie on a lounge chair poolside until I am good and sleepy. This night was no exception. I fell asleep around 10:00 and awoke at midnight to the soothing music of the artificial waterfall. Stars were visible overhead against the backdrop of a pitch black sky. In the distance, the strobe effect of distant heat lightning added to the ambiance. Only Joanne and Mark remained poolside. They are new lovers and behave accordingly. As I regained consciousness, I noticed out of the corner of my eye that she was giving him a blow job in the hot tub. I couldn't help but smile, knowing it was another fine day at the Grove. Day 9, Thursday, June 9, 2005 I wish I had some exciting news to report, but the day was much like every other weekday. I worked in my temporary Cleveland office until midday and then spent the afternoon poolside reading and swimming. Several new couples arrived at the Grove and many more will come tomorrow. The dynamics around the hot tub changed in the evening. Instead of the usual local members and residents that have shown up during the previous evenings, most of the soakers were now new arrivals and first-timers. Sadly, I bid farewell to Mark and Joanne. I risked a woman's scorn by asking Joanne her age. As I suspected, she is only 26 and Mark twenty years her senior. I related closely to them, probably because they are almost the exact same ages as Connie and me when we started dating. While age difference means nothing to us, it does affect those around us, especially relatives. When we first started getting serious, Connie's sisters were very concerned about her well being, thinking she would not get much sex because of my age. Perhaps, she would not even be able to have children, they feared. (Honest to God!) Connie will arrive tomorrow evening and I am anxious, not only to see her, but to bring to an end another long week of celibacy. This morning, I was bitching to her on the phone about the long periods of sexual drought imposed by our separation. She told me quite correctly that it was my choice to spend my vacation at the Grove, instead of being home with her. Indeed, it was my choice and I will never regret the Grove experience that I have been sharing with you, my lifestyle friends. Day 10, Friday, June 10, 2005 I had really missed Connie and was excited by her 7:30 pm arrival, earlier than I had anticipated. She made good time considering that she did not leave her office in Atlanta until nearly 6:00 pm. Several of our Grove friends also commented about how much she had been missed. Many couples arrived during the day and the Friday evening crowd at the poolside social was excellent. The theme was all red and many of the ladies were indeed hot in their red lingerie. Connie and I swam, sat in the hot tub and socialized. It was a fun time. Later, we went to the CH for more intimate fun. Thankfully, we learned from last Friday's experience and soon shared an intensely fulfilling welcoming experience together. Afterwards, I watched Connie and a male friend as they engaged in a highly seductive sex dance, both on the massage table and later in a private room. I love watching Connie have sex, partly because of the titillation, but more so because of the pure joy derived from witnessing the person I love most in this world being pleasured. Like you, I have the ability to subjugate jealousy during these times and I believe this is a true blessing. Sadly, most adults in our society have never witnessed their spouse or life partner engaged in the sex act with another. And sadly, of course, most could not handle it if they had. The Grove provides honest insight into what it would be like to live in a sex-positive society. Unfortunately, it is an aberration rather than a microcosm of the real world. Day 11, Saturday, June 11, 2005 We were hung over, but not from alcohol. We returned poolside from the CH at around 3:00 am and stayed until nearly 5:00 am. Suffice it to say, we didn't get nearly enough sleep. I got up before Connie and performed my morning chores. She awoke around 10:30 and we enjoyed breakfast together in the club house. Still aroused by thoughts of the previous evening's activities, we returned to the tent for a mid-day delight. The day was a Swinger's Vine (off-premises lifestyle club) event. Most of the folks on this mailing list joined the other SV couples for an afternoon of fun poolside. The weather was not ideal, but nice enough not to interfere with the planned "wet 'n wild" events. Late afternoon, Connie and I joined some of you and several other couples for dinner at Edelweiss. In the evening, we eschewed the club house social, preferring instead to swim and chat in the hot tub before going to the CH for intimate fun. After a period of time spent meeting and greeting at the CH, Connie and I meandered to a private room downstairs where we communed together for the remainder of the evening before returning to our camp site. Thankfully, we retired much earlier than the previous evening. Seventeen Days in June Day 12, Sunday, June 12, 2005 It poured Saturday night and all morning Sunday. After breakfast, Connie and I remained in the club house while waiting for the rain to abate. Most of this time was spent conversing with Tommy and Joan, Grove regulars. I don't think we solved any of the world's problems, but we had an enjoyable time nonetheless. The ground became so saturated that pools of water began forming on the ground surrounding our tent site. Thankfully, the rain stopped around 12:30 pm; had it continued a few more hours, the air mattress would have been floating in the tent. Buddy graciously offered Connie and me the use of the Creekside cabin at no cost. We were extremely grateful for this act of thoughtfulness and generosity. Mid-afternoon, Doc was feeling frisky. He asked Connie to join him in the shower and she agreed to do so. It was not the first time the two of them had engaged in water play. Slowly and sensually, they washed each other all over. The visual was arousing, and when they finished, I led Connie to the Creekside for stress relief. And would you believe? She fell asleep during foreplay! I am either a decidedly unexciting guy or she was still recovering from the weekend. With nothing else to do, I returned poolside to read and swim. Around 6:00, I got hungry and fixed soup and fried baloney at the cabin. I prepared a plate for Connie, climbed half-way up the stairs, heard snoring and went back down. Around 7:30, she joined me poolside in a semi-conscious state and we enjoyed a pleasant evening together. Connie has limited camping experience, and during her weekend visits, she commented a number of times how much she enjoyed the tent. And I agreed – 'roughing it' can be a lot of fun. But that night, we made love on and slept on a real bed, sheltered from the elements by real walls and a real roof. After eleven consecutive nights on an air mattress, it felt good. Day 13, Monday, June 13, 2005 No rain today! It was the first rain-free day since my arrival twelve days ago. The afternoon was beautiful and very hot. Connie and I did the usual poolside stuff – swimming, reading and more swimming. It was so hot and sultry that we did most of our reading in the pool, either on a float or standing with our books resting on the edge of the pool. Through-out the day, we remained in the Creekside and used it as a love nest. Late afternoon, the cleaning lady walked in on us as we were making love on the futon by the front door. No stranger to witnessing sexual activity, she politely excused herself and moved on to the next cabin. There was no reason for me to vacate the Creekside since it was not cleaned. Thus, I spent another night sleeping in a real bed, albeit alone. We discussed the possibility of Connie staying over and commuting to work in the morning, but she decided against it, lacking appropriate work attire. After dinner at La Cabana's, Connie headed home around 9:30. Day 14, Tuesday, June 14, 2005 I have no cell phone reception at the Grove and the office closes in the evenings, so it was impossible for Connie to notify me of her safe arrival home. We speak every morning on the phone and this morning I am secure in the knowledge she is safe. But, at night, I worry. Also, when she leaves, I experience a fleeting sense of emptiness. It seems strange that we are not leaving together, even though I am left behind in a wonderful place. Once again, no rain today, but it was very hot and sultry. I was concerned about it being too hot in the tent to sleep well; however, when evening came, it cooled down nicely. The mountains sure are nice! Upon returning to the tent for the first time in two days, I discovered a problem with the air mattress. Apparently, it was not designed to withstand the passion that Connie and I unleashed on it during her two weekend visits. That, combined with high temperatures, caused it to become one big balloon. I'll purchase a new one tomorrow. I've grown weary of my cooking, if you want to call grilling meat and heating soup cooking. For my evening meal, I returned to La Cabana's for dinner. Afterwards, I walked the Chattahoochee river front. As expected, the water was high and rapid. I enjoyed the walk tremendously, finding it to be a refreshing change of scenery, almost idyllic. But I did not stay long; having been disconnected from the threaded world for two weeks, I was anxious to get naked again back at the Grove. Nakedness is somehow more natural, more me. Day 15, Wednesday, June 15, 2005 After working for a few hours at Cathy's, I drove to Walmart located in Cornelia. My mission was successfully accomplished by replacing with a brand new model the air mattress destroyed by Connie and me during her weekend visits. After informing Connie by phone about the need for a new mattress, she asked with a chuckle in her voice, "Are you bragging or complaining?" As usual, I read and swam during the afternoon. It was very hot and sultry but, for the third consecutive day, it did not rain. Several new couples arrived, getting a jump on the weekend. This is consistent with last week's pattern; newcomers arrive on Wednesday, with more to follow on Thursday and even more on Friday. I always look forward to the company. Brad is a Grove resident, and Valerie, his girlfriend. They were the stars of the photo shoot done by Michael and Vicki at the CH one weekend (I don't remember which weekend, having completely lost track of time.) They graciously invited me to dinner where we were joined by Tanya and Keith. Valerie is a wonderful cook and we enjoyed a great dinner featuring grilled pork chops. The hot tub was rocking late into the evening as both newcomers and local regulars swelled the ranks of the naked soakers. I chose not to join in; the evening was cool and I had already changed into my sweats. And before long, consistent with all of my weekday evenings, I went to sleep poolside before making the trek to the tent. It was a good day. Day 16, Thursday, June 16, 2005 After two torrid days, the temperature moderated. It became possible to read on a lounge chair while sunning, instead of reading in the pool or on a raft in the pool. In spite of the very hot daytime temperatures the past two days, the pleasantly cool evenings refreshed me. I love the North Georgia Mountains and this vacation has certainly deepened the love affair. Brad and Valerie once again invited me to dinner. I refused at first, not wanting to impose a second time. I told them that I had nothing to bring to the party, since I had used up most of my food supplies and would not be purchasing any more. Valerie suggested that I go to Helen and purchase a twelve pack of Southpaw Light; she loves the stuff. I gladly did so and she was delighted when I returned with a full case for her personal consumption. We were joined by Denise and Robert who just arrived that afternoon. Once again, Valerie did a masterful job at the grill and we all enjoyed her cheeseburger and corn-on-the-cob meal. Tomorrow, I'll drive to Atlanta to pick up Connie after work. We plan to meet Mat and Cathy for dinner at Edelweiss at 7:00 pm before heading back to the Grove. We'll gladly pick up the tab; it represents a very small token of our gratitude for Mat and Cathy's generosity. My Grove vacation would not have been possible without cell reception and PC connectivity during the past two and one-half weeks. My one-person business just does not have a lot of coverage when I am AWOL. Saturday afternoon, I'll fold the tent and Connie and I will be on our way to Louisville to pick up our daughters. Sure, I've missed them, but there is little doubt that the break from child-rearing responsibilities has been good for all of us. We'll return home sometime Monday. At night, I star gaze. I do it every evening poolside before falling asleep. In the city, star gazing is not possible because of the lights and smog. But the mountain sky has been beautiful every evening since the heavy clouds and rain went away. Last night, a half-full moon shone through an opening in the clouds. The sky was covered with thinly veiled clouds, forming all kinds of interesting shapes of various sizes. Through the openings in these formations, the stars could be seen. It was romantic and I wished Connie could have been there to share the experience. Day 17, Friday, June 17, 2005 This morning felt a little different than most. There is a weekend Grove and a weekday Grove and each has its own unique feel. On this morning, my last weekday at the Grove, I swam a little longer in the pool and soaked a little longer in the hot tub. It was my way of paying homage, of saying goodbye. I spent most of the morning at Cathy's paying bills; after two plus weeks, they have a way of pilling up. Then, I packed up my laptop, ate my last Reuben at Creekside Deli and pointed the Crown Vic south. As planned, I picked up Connie at her office in Atlanta around 4:00 pm and then did a quick turnaround back to the Grove (well, not so quick since I85 traffic was horrible). Connie and I met Cathy and Mat at Edelweiss for dinner a little before 7:00 pm. We treated as a way of thanking them for their generous hospitality by allowing me to share office space during my stay. Before we finished eating, Susan and Rick, friends of ours who live in the area, made a surprise appearance. The six of us had a nice time. After returning to the Grove, Connie and I noticed that the crowd was smaller than that of the past two Friday night socials. This was probably attributable to Father's Day weekend. I devoted much time and energy the past couple of weeks to being a one person welcoming committee and was no longer in the mood to socialize. Connie and I mostly stayed together, spending much of our time catching up on the events of the past week. Connie got tired from working all day and we retired early, around 11:00 pm. Sex would have to wait until morning. Day 18, Saturday, June 18, 2005 After breakfast in the club house, Connie and I drove to the CH for a final blending of body and soul. Connie asked about using the tent, but I was fearful of destroying our new air mattress. She is indeed a passionate woman and I didn't want to take any chances. I think it was a wise decision. I didn't fold the tent immediately, desiring to give it time to thoroughly dry out. Over the next couple of hours, Connie and I enjoyed the usual poolside activities for a final time. Later, we broke camp and returned poolside for a shower and final dip in the pool. All too soon, we said goodbye to friends and departed around 3:00 pm for Louisville to pick up our girls. I spoke to a lot of people over the past couple of weeks inquiring about the best way to get from the Grove to I75 north. Everyone had an opinion, but no one could come up with an efficient way to accomplish this daunting automotive task. The only consensus of opinion was to stay off of SR 52 because of all of the curves. On a map, it looks far out of the way, but we nonetheless decided to take US 76 out of Blairsville to Dalton, since it was mostly four lanes and relatively straight. We had no regrets; it was a beautiful drive. Soon, it'll be back to the real world of wearing clothes, working and getting the girls ready for bed each night. There is comfort in the normal routine of daily life; yet, I'll always look back on my Grove vacation with a smile on my face. In many respects, it was special and will not soon be forgotten. My thanks go out to Connie for allowing me this time away from home. I also wish to extend thanks to you, my friends, for living vicariously these seventeen days in June through the reading of my journal; it would have been very lonely at times without you.