HE'S BACK!

   My Dear CoffeeSpoons reader:

   Please excuse the rather lengthy delay since my last posting.  Things have been somewhat hectic in my life of late, and continue to be so, but I have resolved to resume my CoffeeSpoons postings nonetheless.  I'll begin with a few short Jones Bits to bring you up to date:

   ***I have just returned from a visit to my father in Halifax, Virginia.  It was refreshing to spend time with my dad, his charming wife Linda, and my brother Dave, who lives a couple of hours away in Louisa, Virginia.  Unfortunately, there is still no word about the whereabouts of my oldest brother, Ray, who vanished from his rural Virginia home over six years ago now. 

   While in Virginia, I had the opportunity to go to the Blue Ridge Parkway and hike to the summit of Sharp Top Mountain, elevation 3,875.  It was a splendid, rugged and challenging hike that afforded stunning views of nature, and I loved every minute of it.  I would heartily recommend a climb up Sharp Top Mountain to any well-conditioned hiker traveling through the vicinity of nearby Lynchburg.  

   ***Shortly before heading to Virginia, I enjoyed a lunch outing with my cousin Becca at the new Bristol Bar and Grille in Jeffersonville.  Becca--or "Bakeen," as I nicknamed her many years ago--is now a bank vice president and mortgage loan officer in Louisville.  We grew up together, and have been making it a point to try to get together for lunch every couple of months or so.  The day that we went to the Bristol was a delightful one.  We chose to eat on the outdoor patio, and I was very favorably impressed with the place.  Becca and I both found the food to be excellent, and we enjoyed the panoramic view of the Louisville skyline.  I'm sure that we'll go there again sometime. 

   ***Five days.  Only five days remain until the annual football grudge match between my beloved Louisville Cardinals and their arch rival, the Kentucky Wildcats.  I am an alumnus of the University of Louisville, and I have been a Cardinals fan all of my life.  While this game may not mean that much to some on the national scale, for me this is the most important, vital, gut-wrenching contest of the year.  My stomach tightens every time I think about it.  Five days.  Go Cards.