Family Vacation - A Not To Be Missed Experience

We've just had a wonderful vacation in Kansas with all of our immediate family. We played, we saw good friends, we played some more, we watched grandchildren laughing and running and playing together, we watched our "kids" enjoy being together, we played even more, and we had an absolutely fabulous time. And, oh yes, we ate a lot, too. Here some of us are at Claire's bench on the KU campus. The whole time was in a word: unbeatable!

Birthday Bashes

Today was the celebration of my birthday and a friend's b'day too, with a group of "wild women" who gather monthly to commemorate the birthdays of those reaching the annual milestone in that particular month. This "formal" gathering is held at The Los and everyone brings cards we've all had fun finding plus a donation to the charity of each honoree's choice. The camaraderie is great, the cards are a riot, the noise is loud, and the caring is almost tangible. What a treat! Thanks, everyone.

Landing On The Moon

40 years ago today Butch and I gathered with friends in Lubbock, Texas, to watch on TV as the astronauts landed on the moon. After viewing the event, we all went outside to look up at the moon in wonder and to talk about how we were "down here" and the astronauts were actually on that glowing moon. Others in the neighborhood were outside, too. It was phenomenal and created one of those captured moments in time that is as vivid today in my memory as it was that night.

"Church Basement Ladies" - The Musical

If you want to spend a delightful evening laughing at the antics and the goings on in the kitchen at a Lutheran Church in Minnesota, go see this musical. You get the inside scoop on how they plan for the various church functions for which they organize & often prepare the food. Get the lowdown on the "Dead Spread." There's a lot of good humor along the lines of "The Prairie Home Companion" and the stories about Lake Woebegon. Right now you can see it at The Grove Theater in Upland.

Going to the Beach

We've been to the beach for a few days. It was wonderful! The sky was blue, the ocean was sparkling, the waves were perfect, the air was clear, and the temperature was ideal. The grandkids loved digging in the sand and picking up "pretty rocks." Sure, there were a jillion people there, but that was okay. There was plenty of sand and plenty of water and plenty of room for everyone. Sleeping with the sound of the waves breaking on the beach was soothing - most of the time. We took a couple of side trips to my favorite nurseries - Roger's Gardens and Weidner's Nursery in Leucadia. What a treat it was just to roam through all of the gorgeous plants that love the coast and find our environs just a bit too hot for their liking - begonias & fushias, in particular. Butch survived and I love him for his patience - among other things. Friends whose generosity facilitated this are loved & appreciated & thanked from the bottoms of our sandy hearts.

The Saga of "The Family Picture"

Everyone, or almost everyone, at sometime in her/his life will have the privilege of participating in some sort of family picture. When a far-flung family gets together for a too-rare visit, it often coincides with "The Family Picture." It seems that we all want to capture a particular time in our family's life when new people are added either by marriage or birth. So, one part of a family gathering is "The Picture." Today we shopped for THE perfect shirt that is in keeping with the agreed-upon coordinated clothing. Grandpa Butch's shirt was ixnayed, so he'll be getting a new one. Grandma RoRo's pants don't past muster either, so she's in shopping mode. Is it worth it? You betcha! We'll capture one moment in time with grandparents, parents, children, siblings, cousins, and a whole lot of love. You can't beat that and we'll have the picture to remind us all each time we look at it.

July 4, 2009

July 4th in Claremont is spectacular in so many ways. Not only do we get to celebrate with the community at Memorial Park, but we get to watch a parade or participate in it, if we so choose. I don't think many places will have the wide variety of parade entries that Claremont has nor will they have the loving acceptance these groups get from the onlookers as the various groups express their heartfelt concerns about world and national political, moral, & ecological conditions and situations. Then, you can go to any of a variety of fireworks events in the surrounding area or just listen to the "booms" as you watch on TV the amazing displays from Washington, Boston, and New York. The music is great and the people are obviously having a great time. One question we might consider is this: in today's world, what else could we do with all of that money spent on those fireworks?