Ok. Gotta get the back story out of the way before the real action begins...

Dramatis Personae in this tale consists of me (Ricky) and Ellen...

Woody and Karen

and Renee and Marty

Sorry Woody, that's the best shot I got...non-related readers please note: Woody looks much better than that, in fact my wife thinks he's the cutest thing going--though she also maintains that her dad looked just like Gregory Peck and I've yet to find anyone who agrees with her. But anyway, what a lovely sextet don't you think? What beaming smiles. But these pictures were taken only a very short time after our decision to pool our resources (in unequal amounts--more on that later) and embark on the " let's find ourselves a vacation home that we can all share" journey that at the time of this post is well over a year old. Since that time our smiles have contracted a bit after many months of road trips to and from the chosen property (not to mention the long and intense search for said property--from which I abstained) plus all the subsequent paperwork, real estate and legal documents, LLC formation, inherited tenants, discussions and debates regarding restoration and design etc. But all that is standard fare and of little interest to the disinterested reader...and that may include some of us.

What is perhaps more compelling is the personal backstory. Ellen, Renee and Woody go way back. Way, way back. Back to the early 1950's where they came into this world around the same time and grew up in sequential side by side by side homes in the suburban Eden that was Great Neck Long Island back in the snoring 1950's. BTW: It is my hope that in the course of growing this blog, my fellow drifters will drift in and out with commentary to amend, correct, expand, contest, contradict, and most importantly elaborate on all that is tossed out here as I try and work my way into this story and establish some context within which this can become more than just a log of random events and activities. As I was saying...Renee, Ellen and Woody are the tripod on which all subsequent elements and events rest. Fast forward to adulthood and each of them finds their mates in Marty, Ricky and Karen respectively. Big jump, I know, but intervening events and details will reveal themselves over time. For now, I'm just happy to get this ball rolling, though I suspect I'm pushing it uphill right now. Gotta find a voice for this thing at some point, and the more I keep typing here the more I suspect it will shift into a more personal and subjective mode...but we'll see. In the meantime, I gotta get back to work and I'll see you all next time.