AS TIME WENT BY

As I sit here in the morning sun of Burbank, California, the azure sky silhouettes the tall waving palm trees that remind me I am in a special place. There are birds that are whistling the beautiful day and telling me that this is the special place where I need to be.
Flowers are in full bloom, a doting of red and white, splashes of cerulean and magenta with a backdrop of greens that frame the picture of my contentment.

Knowing that every day is special around here, I see my beautiful granddaughter Darby, as she goes about getting ready for her preschool, her fine blond wisps of hair, gently fly about as the loose strands of her hair defy the restrictions of her comb. “Grandpa, can you close this for me? Grandpa, do you want to go outside and play with me?” All this is always possible.

There is a little bundle of joy, someone so magical, playful, and above all, beautiful who fills my day with laughter and fun at his attempts to defy his age, a ripe nine-months-old. Bobby D as I call him, discovering so many new things as we take him to parks, and even supermarkets, sitting in his child seat viewing the new world with keen interest, getting smiles from the ladies as he returns the favor. His eyes shine, his smile ever-present, his joy eternal or so it seems.

Then there is Linus, an old dog who has seen it all for this little family. He sits next to me on the couch or at my feet in the yard. He and I have become great friends, we converse on matters of state, and sometimes baseball. We agree on all and it doesn’t hurt to slip him a little something under the table. Every morning he comes to lick my arm or face, then he curls up and falls asleep, content to be next to me. Lucky me!
There is Cricket the house nanny, Marta and Victor the house cleaners, the yard guys and Andrea the laundry lady, all part of the family, all caring and loving of the children and very friendly to my wife and me.

So, I will see how soon I can take us all here together in this beautiful place called: Burbank!