Happy Birthday Grandma

Ten years ago, we were in Mountain Springs for Grandma's 80th birthday.  That get-together followed up two other trips to the Poconos and now it looks like this might be an annual tradition.  The verdict this year - even more fun than last year.

Even though this is a tradition, we may have started some new ones this year.  Like Daniel's haircuts.  Like Donald's birthday celebration!  (and Mary's!)  Like the two-lap, around the lake running race (that Sean won in a last-minute surge.)  Like the next generation dinner!  Like water balloon contests.  I'm sure there were some others but these are what I can remember.

Other highlights?  Hanging at the beach.  Laughing on the porches.  Wildlife - snapping turtles (Andrew some them), snake in the water, spider on the dock, deer drinking water.  Fishing - David caught two large fish, a perch and a bass.  Seeing the progress Matthew is making - what a journey over the past nine months.  

And we talked.  There was talk of house hunting and house moving.  It had to be a welcome reprieve for David and Paula from weeks of packing and rides to the dump and Goodwill.  There was talk of the visit to the water park for Matthew, Tina, Oliver and Donald.  There was talk of a wedding in Portugal!  Talk of those who couldn't join us - Bill and Jen and children and Claire.  Talk of new jobs (Margaret and Sean.)  Talk of travel to Denver (Annie) and to Portland (Margaret) and to Green Lake (Andrew and Lur.)  Talk of books we're reading - Sean may have had the most intimidating book - criminal procedure.

I actually don't remember anyone talking about a certain Presidential candidate.  Okay, just a little.  Okay, quite a bit.

Mary and I talked the whole way home about how fast it went. You know it went well when everyone wants to stay an extra day, and when we sign up already for next year.  

It took us a day or two to unpack.  We got the kabob leftovers (thanks David and Paula, Andrew and Lur) and I made about $5 from bottle and can returns.  

Thanks to everyone who pitched in and made this a great weekend.  Thanks for taking the time and braving the traffic and withstanding the heat.  We love you all.  

What A Treat

It was wonderful seeing all of you again. I am reminded that over the course of my professional career I have had the responsibility of dealing with families with grudges and worse, and the contrast with our family couldn't be more plain. We have many gifts from Mom and Pop, but one of enormous lasting value is that they wove us into a true family, much of it by example. Thank you all.

July 12

In honor of Annie's birthday today, I found a photo from last year (only kidding, 1993) of another July 12.  In the background, waiting patiently for their turn at the Kenwood pool slide are Joe and Sean.  Seems like only yesterday.  Actually not - seems like a long time ago.  We expect to see Annie tomorrow night on her way back from a day of work in Schenectedy, but we won't be having a pool party for her.  I hear there may be ice cream cake though.  Any takers?  It's Ben and Jerry's. Now, are there any takers?

If not, more for me.

We're still in the first half of summer which is nice.  We decided this year not to travel anywhere for more than a couple of days.  One of those visits took us to DC, where we were treated to a mother and child reunion to see Paul Simon with Margaret and Joe and their wonderful spouses -- and Dennis and Gerry.  We had lawn tickets at Wolf Trap which meant  the risk of afternoon/evening showers.  They did not disappoint, as it poured while we were waiting in line to get in.  That would have happened even if we had seats inside, so it was nice when things cleared up for our picnic and then our concert.  He's got a qute a range of songs over the years, and his latest album continues his evolution.  

While there, we also had a barbecue at Joe and Leonor's, where we saw Jeffrey, Melodie, Margaret and Andrew.  Leonor was getting ready for a long visit by her mother.  We had dinner with Foreign Service friends and then Mary stayed a few more days to visit with her teacher friends.  I drove home and on the way home stopped in Lawrenceville for lunch with Peter and Janet.  They spilled the news that Sean is starting a new job as an Assistant DA for Newark in September.  Congrats!  

David and Paula are tackling head on their move and putting in long hours cleaning out, taking stuff to the dump and to Goodwill, and getting ready to "stage" their house for sale.  As luck would have it, they had an offer even before the house was listed, and it looks like that will go through.  (Hope I didn't jinx it!)  It's not luck, however - it's hard work.

Out in the far west - or at least Wisconsin if that counts - Andrew and Lur took their annual week on Green Lake, and this year they were joined by Bill and Jen, Miles, Auden and Elliot.  Dan was there with a friend, and Claire, who is working at a camp on the lake came by for a couple of days.  Wish we were there with you.

Other travel news:  Annie had a work trip out in Denver, where she met up with her friend who she spent a year with in Natick after college.  Margaret is out in Portland now, connecting with her exchange groups who are here for the summer.  And, we hear that John and Marilyn are planning a long drive along Route 66.  

How was your 4th of July?  Did you go to a parade?  A picnic?  A James Taylor concert?  WE DID!  And we took the 5th off, we were so tired.  But it was fun, and the fireworks after the JT concert (he goes by JT to his friends) at Tanglewood were pretty amazing.  Shock and awe, with an incredible crescendo ending of rapid fire explosions.  How will they top that next year?  We will probably not know, but we're glad we did this once.  Hope your 4th included some or all or even more of the above.

We were also moved by the week's news.  We had just seen a play on race and policing called "American Son," and our friends who went with talked about knowing an Ethiopian woman whose son was mistakenly killed by police.  Then Baton Rouge and St. Paul and Dallas.  Stunned.  Our minister on church on Sunday responded with a moving message of the reading which happened to be the story of the Good Samaritan. If you have ten minutes, I recommend it: https://soundcloud.com/st-stephens-pittsfield/july-10-2016  

We are sure to talk about this and many other subjects when we all get together in the Poconos.  Until then, we hope you are all well, and love from up here.

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