Bonfire upholds tradition of meeting in the most miserable weather possible - soggy muddy grass, rain showers, but heck it was fun!!!

This is the first Bonfire where we arrived before dark. Noam had picked up the 'game box' at the HQ of Tamanend Park and Bianca is about to throw the first ball.

Helen and husband Larry (background) organized our Bonfire. I just called Tamanend now to thank them for use of their great facilities.

Larry and Noam firing up the BBQ.

The hot dogs were terrific - Nathan's and Hebrew National. I brought my own turkey dogs w/no nitrates. Don't forget I'm on immunosuppressants so wanna remain as healthy as possible.

Here's Judy and Linda. It's very interesting when you take a photo of someone. They want to position themselves for the picture.

Linda read her poem "Autumn" to the audience. Very unusual and creative. It's posted on the New Directions website under KaleidOScope online.

Ruth with her vegetable-laden potato salad - green beans, asparagus, carrots, onion, red peppers - plus dressing of mayo, mustard and garlic. I use no salt.

The weather was very changeable. Rich Fleisher arrived in his Best Zayde in the World sweatshirt w/ hood on. Zayde is Jewish for Pop-pop.

If you click a couple times you can see the baby deer, who was then joined by another deer. Later in the evening when we were sitting around the fire, Mike W said, "How would you like it if the deer started shooting arrows at you."

Good point, Mike! I do feel increasingly guilty for eating meet.

Ellen and Tracey, who brot the game Apples to Apples to the party. About 8 people were playing it, laughing and hooting and having a host of fun. I gave it to Dan n Nicole for a wedding gift but have never played it. Must!

Here's Todd, the bearer of wood, and his friend Mark, who he introduced to Tracey. They are a great couple. They went to the Eagles game earlier in the day but left in disgust when the birds blew a big lead. Final score 24-23. Don't tell anyone, but I could care less.

This father and daughter found us on the Internet and just showed up. Tom told me he has diabetes but changed his eating habits and lifestyle and controls illness that way, instead of using meds.

I actually had to take my sugar in the car and shot up more insulin than usual so I could make a pig of myself. The food was scrumptious. Amazingly, when I woke up in the morning, my 'morning sugar' was 97, well w/i the range of 80-120.

I ate:

2 turkey dogs on white buns, delicious tomato pie that Mike from Mike's Hikes brot from Conshohocken Bakery (I warmed it up on the grill), Ruth's tater salad, fruit (watermelon), Linda's apple pie, Helen's homemade applesauce from a friend, a piece of the shrimp I brot w/Kelchner's cocktail sauce, two of Ada's brownies.

When it was dark we began sitting around the hot hot fire. We made S'mores w/ gram crackers, marshmallows and Hershey's chocolate.

Helen had also brot these crisp gingersnaps and we made S'mores w/ them which are the best!!

Helen brings hot drinks - apple cider and hot chocolate.

I had two cups of hot chocolate, made with Hershey's cocoa and not that much sugar, thank you Helen.

Ada's brownies were incredible. Her husband Rich discoursed on why I should take a fat piece, rathan one that was crunchy around the edges. I do like both, but you get more with the bigger piece.

Do I taste coffee in here, I asked Ada?

Yes, she said, an 'espresso' you buy like a spice.

It had been a long time since I'd seen Brandon and wife Rachel. You never know who's gonna turn up!

I love surprises! Methinks I get a dopamine rush.

My last foto b/c my batteries went dead. Matthew on right is jamming with Todd, while young Teddy, 9, is looking on.

Later Matthew did a solo and so did Teddy. Great way for dad n son to bond.

Half a dozen of us sat by the fire until the end. I never relax - I'll do it in the sarcophagus - so I really enjoyed this.

Sat in a chair w/a beverage holder and Helen was nice enuf to refill my hot chocolate and then bring me lots of water.

We had very thought-provoking discussions.

I shared with them that I love to visit Catholic shrines.

Bianca, who attends Bible study, said they were studying the Book of John.

I said I discovered some of his quotes when I visited the shrine of Mother Katharine Drexel in Bensalem. I found it when I worked as a therapist in Bensalem.

"You did not choose me," said John. "I chose YOU."

My favorite saint has always been Bernadette of Lourdes. When Scott and I visited the Gettysburg battlefield to hear Lincoln speak, we also drove to a Bernadette shrine half hour away in MD.

When sitting around the fire, you become mesmerized. We wondered if animals were watching us from the distance. I told the group that coyotes were in the area, which many of them knew.

It was nice getting to know Andrew, who is studying to be a counselor.