It is always nice to leave the cold weather behind and spend some time with palm trees and warm, balmy breezes. After a three-hour direct flight from Bradley to Tampa and a quick 35-40-minute drive from the airport, we were at the Clearwater Beach area in FL. We stayed just outside all the hubbub in Belleair Beach, 5 miles south of Clearwater.

Seven years ago, I had much more hair to cut, and like many folks, had to regularly schedule haircuts to make sure I didn’t look like a slob. Much of my adult life I had gone to a salon in Wallingford and always enjoyed my time there. The staff was great, location was convenient, and it was one of those things that if it wasn’t broke, there was no reason to fix it. From a convenience standpoint, however, I couldn’t justify going to the same place after having moved to Branford and it was time to find somewhere new. I walked into a barber shop on the green in Branford and met Ron, who I’ve seen religiously every three weeks ever since.

When Kyle was born, the doctor in the hospital suggested that we give Buddy the blanket and beanie hat that Kyle wore the day he was born. Well, that was the beginning of their relationship in that Buddy had the scent of this little person that would soon be integrated into his life. The attention that went totally to Buddy now had to be shared with this little person.