I got notice today that someone purchased a copy of this photo: Jones Beach 3

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Thank you so much, whoever you are!






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An email I received this morning:

"Good morning, my love.

I wanted to take a few minutes to write to you this morning before I call you. Your recent words of love have been so sweet and uplifting, and they have really helped to bridge the gap between just hearing your voice (even though I could listen to you all day long) and actually seeing you here, at my door.

Last night I was very restless and had a hard time falling asleep, yet my thoughts were all good -- they were so good, Peter. It's as though I have been like Tom Hanks, all alone on a deserted island, making do with a little scrap of this or that. I existed, and I tried to find gratitude for each day so that the loneliness would not overcome me. And I was willing to risk it, build a raft of my invisible hopes and dreams, and then paddle, paddle, reach for the open sea, where my own true love was also searching for me, like a needle in a haystack, like a small raft in an ocean of the unmanifest.

And now here you are, and you make me yearn, and laugh, and burn, and express myself. I feel fully dimensional, the reincarnation of Sassy Sally Ann. The thought of being loved by you -- and even more than that, of loving you -- of adding layers of memory, intimacy, friendship, passion -- as equals and cherished partners -- is already like paradise. It is already so much; it is already enough. You have given me so much already, Peter Kopher.

And in less than two days, you will be here, and I will have to remind myself to breathe, because you have stolen my breath with yourself, with your achingly wonderful self.

I love you.

Sally Ann XO"

It's been a long, hard - and, at times, a very cold - 10 years since my ex and I split; and I've longed and yearned for this to eventually happen. Now the day is near. Tomorrow I finally meet in a person a woman with whom I went to high school, 35-37 years ago! Back then, she didn't even know I existed, although we were both in band together; but she was also a cheerleader, as well as a National Honor Society member, and I merely a band geek. I admired (and secretly lusted after) her way back then; yet as if our stars had finally aligned - after all this time - and in a different and more serendipitous way than either of us expected (and in spite of the use of a number of different online dating sites by each of us - a couple of which we were both on, but were never matched up) we "met" via email, soon added frequent - and hours' long - multiple phone calls each day to our repertoire, and have fallen deeply in love.

"Tomorrow we'll discover what our God in heaven has in store.

One more dawn, one more day, one day more!"

~ Les Miserables

UPDATE: We finally did meet, a week ago tonight. It was sheer bliss!






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Well after living here on the water for a year and a half, I finally have a boat, to go along with my house barge. It's so great to be able to get out and explore what I've only been able to look at from where I'm moored! Unfortunately, the small, used Boston Whaler I bought (through Craigslist - though allegedly from a "friend") turned out to need a - very expensive! - new motor The boat is now at the marina next door, getting re-fitted with a brand new Yamaha 40 hp EFI motor, and by sometime tomorrow she should be good to go!

The picture above was my first sunset shot from out on the bay; it's a view of Hempstead bay, with the waterfront houses of Bellmore, NY barely visible along the shoreline.






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I had occasion last weekend to go up to the Catskills for my cousin Debbie's wedding. I took an extra 2 days, and revisited one of my favorite spots up there: Kaaterskill Falls.



At approximately 260', this is the highest waterfall in NY state. I haven't been up this way in about 26 years, and was able to visit both the bottom of the falls, and the very top! While inquiring of a park ranger at a campground in North South Lake Park, near the top of the falls, as to where the path was, he said "That trail no longer exists. We're not even allowed to talk about that trail. Too many people have died there."

By studying a couple of maps, and utilizing some dead reckoning and reading of the geography, we were able to find our way to the top - and nobody died...






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Looking up the staircase of the Glen Iris Inn at Letchworth State Park, NY.

I took my first vacation in almost three years this weekend. It was much shorter, but much sweeter then the last one I had. I spent the first 2 of the 4 days at Letchworth State Park, near Geneseo, N.Y., in a cabin with a wood-burning stove. A friend from high school - whom I haven't seen in about 36 years - joined me for the second day. The park - the so-called "Grand Canyon of the East" - is fantastic! I'll upload pictures here soon.

The capper was helping my daughter Caitlin move home after her junior year of college: She showed me the campus - and the town - and it was the first time I got to see where she's spent most of her time these last three years. Between that, and the improved communications with her twin sister Cristin, I'm feeling like daddy again - finally






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