2015: "IT'S SO NICE TO HAVE A MAN AROUND THE HOUSE

"It's so nice to have a man around the house" was a popular song telling of a lady's observation that it is indeed a nice thing to have a guy around. So too, as I pile on the years do I find it's nice to have a man around the house who can lighten the load for me when it comes to household chores. One of those chores was the annual preparation of that beautiful Sycamore tree that reposes on my front lawn as it has since the late 1930's when it was planted by the Atlantic Avenue developer named Slack. I can still manipulate those HEAVE Belgian blocks, but anyone familiar with them will agree that they are very heavy. As I age they seem to get heavier every year. Along comes my son Ken who has given me a welcome respite from the drudgery of setting up that flower bed for my 62nd spring season. Above is a photo vignette showing Ken's craftsmanship. In prior years, I had tended to that location with only a skim of top soil and mulch which quickly eroded during a very heavy rain. Ken has inherited the Glover-Britton music talents as can be seen in the photo where he skilfully plays his guitar. (Self taught). His musical group "Just One More" is very popular down in Medford NJ at Ott's Restaurant. He also inherited his grandmother's talent as the neighborhood "green thumb" with the beautiful array of flowers that was the hallmark at our 131 Hartley Avenue home back when I was a boy. Thanks to his gardening, horticulture, landscaping, talents, Ken set about constructing the terraced top soil filled foundation shown in the photo above which will soon be filled with a gorgeous flower bed with flowers I depend on him to choose. Right about now, my dear wife is smiling down on this beautiful view, happy in the knowledge that life goes on and despite the emotional crisis that exists with the husband and family she left behind as she passed on to be with the Lord. Mom Glover told us we should never plant those spring annual until after Mothers Day and Ken abides by that rule. When Ken's flower bed is completed, I will be re-posting the photo. Watch for that post!