SUMMER HOME BODIES 2025

redefining the locus

REDEFINING THE LOCUS  

Those of you who are repeat and highly revered visitors to this blog may be wondering why we haven’t “gone” anywhere recently. Apart from our early summer visit to the upstate New York area, we have spent this summer close to home. It’s a big world out there you’ll say, parroting my oft uttered view about traveling, so rightfully you may think “what the heck?”.

A reasonable question. I mean, so far this year we’ve been in England and Thailand and the Big Island of Hawaii. So, why the lapse these last three months?

LOCUS=LUGGAGE    

Well, during the summer months it was necessary to redefine our locus from luggage and travel to home and family commitments. July was taken up with housesitting and dog watching for other family members as they traveled in Europe. They have two dogs who require lots of TLC, so we were happy to help. Truthfully, we couldn’t say “no”.

We travel a lot, and because they watch our cur while we are gone, we HAD to return the favor. Sometimes you need to pay the piper.

Because we had this large commitment in the middle of the month we needed to stay home. Thankfully we had access to a cement pond of a dear friend, and we puttered in our garden between dips. So, it wasn’t THAT bad.

Evansburg SP

August though was a month-long tornado.

THE BRITISH ARE COMING

For most of August Janet’s grandchildren from England and their family stayed with us. Of course, we welcomed them and enjoyed their company, but it was as if a tornado descended on our middle-class garret in the normally quiet Philadelphia suburb of Collegeville.

Throughout their stay in was a flurry of movement and activities that had us conjuring up more things to do with them when they got bored.

Inert they ain’t. 

Ocean City NJ

We played pickleball, basketball, climbed trees, kicked a soccer ball around for hours (they are English), played rounds of miniature golf that often descended into World Cup final hysteria, had spirited water pistol fights at our friend’s pool, went hiking, kicked a soccer ball around some more, rode scooters (which they brought with them from England) daily at the local skate park, walked our dog so many times that she would hide when we fetched her leash, went horseback riding at nearby Evansburg State Park, and endured hurricane Erin as it lashed the beach at Ocean City New Jersey while we stayed in the “dry” town.

Ocean City NJ

(No bars or alcohol sales are allowed in the family-friendly OCNJ).

At least the storm was far offshore. Unfortunately, the ocean was treacherous and no one was allowed onto the beach. So, we spent our time in the arcades and amusement rides on the Boardwalk, and we ate a lot of pizza and a lot of ice cream and a lot of chocolate-chip pancakes.

They may be a poor substitute for Pad Thai or Shave Ice, but it we had a great time enjoying the company of the grandchildren.

SEPTEMBER RECOVERY

We took it slow in September and busied ourselves with our pepper gardening. Janet makes a very popular Pineapple/Habanero Jelly, and I make an array of hot sauces. I also made pulled pork and we went to a Phillies/Mets game. 

Phillies game

It was nice to enjoy our home and drink coffee of our back deck.

Don’t worry, we’ll be hitting the road again soon.

OCNJ

Ocean City NJ is very family oriented. There are no bars or even liquor stores on the barrier island, though it’s not that far from Atlantic City. The beach is wide and sandy.

While there we played more miniature golf, frequented several arcades, spent a night on the amusement rides, and one morning rented bikes on the boardwalk.

We stayed in OCNJ for 4 days as Hurricane Erin churned the waters offshore and caused some flooding during high tide as water crept into town from the bay.

We were concerned and spent the evening monitoring the situation, but the water only got to be shin deep. It was not until our last day in OCNJ that bathers were finally allowed on the beach, but the lifeguards kept everyone close to the surf line and so the grandchildren were not able to boogie board.  

OCEAN CITY NEW JERSEY

HORSE BACK RIDING

Evansburg State Park is five minutes from our house, and the Red Buffalo Ranch offers guided trail rides through the 3,500 acres of green space on 15 miles of trails. Cost was $60 pp, tips not included.  

RED BUFFALO RANCH 

CHINESE LANTERN FESTIVAL

Chinese Lantern Festival

A yearly event at Franklin Square by Philadelphia’s Ben Franklin Bridge. Displays change, but the long Chinese Dragon is a constant. This year there was an aquatic motif. It was as entertaining for us as it was for the grandchildren. We ate at the festival.

PHILADELPHIA CHINESE LANTERN FESTIVAL 

Thanks for your patience and thanks for reading.

Love, Mom mom and greg

© 2025 Gregory Dunaj