Dad rang up a little while ago. He's up at Sisi's (Oops—Carm's) place in Long Island . He was in Manhattan Tuesday and Wednesday at the annual AssureGuard sales agents awards. Retired for three years, but he still likes to romp about with his old sales buddies from other regions. They grew up together in the business, and although Dad claims he isn't bored down there on the Gulf Coast , sometimes I think he misses inking a new policy. Hanging with the guys still in the game is as close as he gets.

Of course, he also likes to see if anybody is edging close to his three-peat as national Number One Producer. Not this year, he was happy to report.

Heck, if anybody was even coming close, Dad would instantly become their biggest cheerleader. Right after Dad retired Jerry Scarzden won it two years in a row and had the inside track for a third until a quad-bypass laid him up for a month. Jerry still ended up fourth overall, that year.

Ah, the wonderful world of insurance salesmen.

Dad balled like a little kid tonight.

Me too. We both had a good cry and some reminiscing about the good times with Mattie. I think since he never had a big sister of his own, just him and the three younger brothers, Mattie sort of filled that role for Dad. Of course, it was reciprocal, in that Dad helped out so much with her two boys after her Joel died. Matt and Johnny tagged along on more camping trips with us than I can count. They went with us well into their college summers. I remember many, many tall tales and ghost stories shared around campfires in Yosemite and Yellowstone .

Years later Dad bragged that he taught each of them to be far better storytellers than their namesakes. Better? Probably not. Racier? For sure.

I know when she retired out to San Francisco it became easier for Dad and Mom to pull up stakes for Florida . Plus Carm had married Percy Siriso and moved up to Long Island by then and so the grandkids weren't living close by. With Case exploring the Pacific straightaway out of college and me moving back but still living on my own and not a kid in sight from my contribution I think it just made sense for them to leave our hometown and pursue their dream of living next to the water.

Everything else going great for them. Mom couldn't make it up there with him the way she does most years. Usually Macys and Saks stock upticks a bit after she's visited. But this year she'd had a touch of the flu and so had to bail out at last minute. She's about 100% again. It always did take one tough bug to lay her out for the count. Lots of athletes seem resilient like that. Sisi and I could never ditch school by pulling the fake fever routine on Mom. Of course, Casey could.

Decent run tonight. Weighed myself after the shower. Still about 7 pounds over where I'd like to be, but clothes aren't quite as tight as they were last summer.

G'nite, Journey.

Read October 4th entry.

Read October 9th entry.