Susan and Bob

Just 2 weeks ago I made an unexpected trip to New Jersey.  My sister-in-law had died, after a 2 month's illness.  It's hard to say exactly what she finally died of.  It started with a heart attack, and after a short time recovering from that, she had a stroke, and ended up with pneumonia while she was in the hospital.  Then she died. 
Her husband, Bob, who was my brother, died of cancer 4 years ago.  
In their honor and in their memory I would like to tell this story:

My girlfriend Liz and I were travelling cross-country in my little MGB convertible.  We'd started out in Providence Rhode Island, and we were headed for California, where we hoped to find jobs and fun.  Our first stop along the way was in New Brunswick, NJ, where we stayed with my brother Bob and his wife Susan.  

Bob and Susan had a cute (she hated that word, as she knew it implied "small") little house there, across the street from the conservative synagogue, and a block or so away from the 3rd Avenue Sweet Shoppe.  Guess which one they often went to... a hint: it wasn't the synagogue.

Susan and Bob did wonders with that house.  It had 2 bedrooms and 1 bathroom, but when Brandon was born, they made the large walk-in closet at the end of the 2nd floor hallway into a nursery, so his sister Leslie could keep her own bedroom for herself.  They built in the side-porch and it became a study and later a tv room and a playroom.  They re-did the floors, built a deck that overlooked the back yard, and eventually renovated the small kitchen.  Anyway, all of that was after Liz and I visited.

Bob and Susan made a great couple, and I always enjoyed visiting them.  I especially remember sitting with them in their dining room, sharing a healthful meal.  It seems they always had fresh salads and other yummy stuff - muffins for breakfast, or eggs and toast, and lots of fresh fruit and berries.  

Bob was an English professor, and Susan was a children's librarian.  I always called her for recommendations when I was looking for a book to give to a child.  They were both bright, smart, educated and funny.