Party Parade's Souper Supper

Friday night was this year's "Souper Supper" as part of the Claremont Community Foundation's annual Party Parade. Fourteen super "souper" cooks prepared delicious soups for everyone to share. Paired with cheese, assorted nibbles, bread, crackers, and wine or sparkling water, the soups were fabulous. How nice it is to be able to taste as many as you wish. This was all topped off by scrumptious assorted bread puddings baked by a fantastic local "amateur" chef par excellence. The conversation noise level was high, the smiles on people's faces were contagious, and a delightful evening was had by all.

Why Can Babies Find ANYTHING Tiny on the Floor?

Today we kept Claire & Luke at their house because both are having bouts of pneumonia. Claire is feeling better and she was comforted by a constant stream of movies (You know, the Barbie movies are really appealing & entertaining!) Luke feels good despite the continually runny nose and the need to use a nebulizer. He remained "busy" all day except for a couple of naps. How is it that a crawling baby can find even the smallest, most minute piece of a toy or paper or who-knows-what on the floor and transfer it in the blink of an eye into his/her mouth? Informed answers, thoughtful answers, and pure guesses will all be appreciated & accepted.

TIME

Time and I have a challenging relationship. I never seem to have enough time, and I often run late. My frustration level grows when things jam up and I find that time to do things I would like to do is pushed aside by things I have to do. Butch would say that that is my choice. Sometimes "choice" & "responsibility" or "obligation" get in each other's way. But, then responsibilities are fulfilled, the hectic pace slows down, and time to do things I want to do is abundant. At least it "sort of" is. Now, about that trip to Kansas & Texas, about that visit with...., about that dinner with...., about that lunch date with.... . Hmmmm. Time just jumped into high gear again.

Memorial Services

Yesterday I attended a Memorial Service. It's always both comforting and inspiring to see how those who've lost a beloved family member are surrounded with love and care. What brings us there? Is it a family relationship? Is it a friend? Is it a professional colleague? Is it someone we particularly admired but did not know well? Is it someone close to a dear friend of ours? Regardless of the reason, we come to celebrate this person's life. We reach out to those who are grieving. We reflect on our experiences with the deceased and the memories that will stay with us. The words that are spoken and the hymns that we sing bring to mind memories of loved ones we've lost. We are surrounded by our thoughts and sometimes our pain, and we may experience again the poignancy of loss. But then I am comforted by the conviction that the world is always turning toward the sunrise, and I remember the joy of a life and relationship shared.

Friday Night

Each week we get together with friends for conversation and food and a variety of drinks. It's a chance to relax and check in with each other. Laughter and serious discussions go on at the same time. People share what's going on in their lives. Some want advice. Questions get asked and there are people there who have thoughtful suggestions or experiences to relate that may help lay out the path to answers. More than anything there is genuine caring that joins the diverse personalities into a supportive whole. These are people who will be there when you need them. These are folks who'll sit with you all night at the hospital. These are people who will get up in the middle of the night to take you to the airport. These are people who will cry with you when your world has turned upside down. These are people who will be with you simply because you ask them to come. They will celebrate the joyous times in your life and remember special times. It's heartwarming, it's invigorating, and it's a darn lot of fun.

Finding THE Perfect Gift

Have you ever been shopping and unexpectedly found a perfect gift for a friend? That happened to me today. I can't wait for her to see it. Often I'll find something that just seems so right for someone and I want to give it RIGHT NOW and not wait for whatever the occasion might be. Last Christmas I gave a friend a wrapped gift that I had gotten when we were shopping together months before and she had so admired this item. The box was labeled, but it didn't give me enough information to remember what the gift looked like. My friend was thrilled and I got to see the gift after it was opened. Yes, it recalled the pleasure of "the find" and I love that feeling.

Thoughts on Losing a Child

Last weekend a friend's daughter died. As I have shared this time of shock, pain, & sorrow with her, I've been overwhelmed with thoughts of our Claire. While we miss her every day, thoughts of Claire usually bring a smile to my face. She loved life so much and she celebrated each day. She loved her friends and loved her wild & crazy & memorable times with them. She loved her family - all of our "baggy relatives" as we call them. She was PRESENT all the time for all of us. She was sensitive & caring & funny & fun. We have videos of performances by Claire ("There's No Business Like Show Business" in Lawrence High's "Showtime") & of her special celebration on her 18th birthday - a trip to "The Strip," the place outside of our hometown in Texas where liquor was sold. When Claire died, we were surrounded by family & friends from near & far. The Memorial Bench that was given by her family & friends is located right by the Campanile at KU with the perfect bronze plaque & inscription. It is a place we always go to visit & take pictures when we're in Lawrence. Here's the youngest Claire & her brother Luke.  

We can see the stadium where she cheered for all of those football games, the Gamma Phi Beta house, Potter's Lake, and be surrounded by the University that she loved. It's also just a few blocks from our home where Claire grew up. So, we celebrate Claire's love, her life & her legacy - 8 girls named after her. What a fantastic lady!!!