A Flavorful, Frolicsome Journey

Glories of the Garden

(Began this post during the "missing months" but never finished it.  Liked it well enough that I couldn't abandon it, so will attempt to complete and publish now.)

My first "garden glory" post focuses on a "project" that I happened to make a bit of progress with in the past few summers.  Through my seasons at the greenhouse, my familiarity with herbs has traversed the continuum from all-but-ignorant, to familiar, to attraction--even enjoyment of the flavors, to cultivating, and now on to limited use and sharing.  Ample improvements are still needed in the "growing," "using" and "sharing" categories. My earliest feeling about herbs (from a greenhouse-laborer perspective) was simply annoyance that they needed to be watered too often, but in fulfillment of said irrigation duties, said laborer rapidly learns of herbs' potent fragrance.  They suffer no demureness, emitting aroma at the slightest touch. Sometimes, subtle and inviting; wafts of flavor floating free from a Mediterranean cuisine kitchen. Other times, wanton and forceful--a nearly nauseous nasal invasion. Nonetheless, a relationship is forged. My first tasting experience with fresh herbs happened one afternoon, many years ago now.  I was making my way out of the summer greenhouse heat toward the cooler breeze and shady seats of our break area in the courtyard. As I passed Sweet Mrs.Owner watering the herbs and veggie pots, she plucked a ripe red cherry tomato, wrapped it in a large leaf just pulled from a basil bush, and whimsically popped the potent tidbit into my mouth with nary a word of warning.  Can't remember what reactions or words were exchanged as I endured this very shocking first herbal encounter. Never mind the intense, savory tang of fresh basil, I didn't even like raw tomatoes back then.

Basil happens to play the lead role in the next scene of our herbal plot as well.  In order to promote optimal growth and shape, herbs benefit from frequent trimming throughout the season. This results in healthy greenhouse merchandise--and lush leftover sprigs of flavor, which ought not be left to wither in the waste bin. So, one summer evening, I came home with a sizable portion of clipped-basil leftovers. A quick googling rendered us a plethora of pesto recipes to peruse as a logical method of using our herby gleanings, and a bit of time spent with the pungent leaves, some garlic, cashews, and olive oil spinning through the puree cycle on our food processor yielded a gritty, green batch of savory "sauce."  The samples I shared with my greenhouse friends the next day garnered glittering reviews, and encouraged further experimentation. So, we've made a batch or two every summer since. It's easy to freeze in baggies in small portions and then microwave to thaw and heat to use as a garnish for pasta, pizza, or chicken. Some results are more "successful" than others, but it always adds a bit of homemade zest to a meal.

These and other herb exposures--the tongue-teasing tang of cilantro in Mexican cuisine, the pleasant piquancy of chives with soy sauce over chilled tofu--lead to the tradition of creating an herb planter as a Mothers' Day gift for the dear bride each spring.  Seems the first few featured chives, cilantro and basil. (I'm now back to complete after l-o-n-g hiatus.)  Think where I was headed with this was that the make-up of the herb pots changed over the seasons.  Cilantro was never very successful for using--quickly goes to seed, and then bears no more usable leaves. Chives stays alive forever. Basil, after some seasons of experimentation, and lessons on adequate irrigation and fertilization, can do pretty well.  

So, slowly, the "herb grower" habits increased seasonally. One year, I decided to re-vamp the haphazard random rock-walled garden space next to our front entry, so with a bit of scavenging through available "building materials," came up with a 3-tiered stair step herb planter adjacent to the steps into the house.  Culinary sage occupied the top tier for first few seasons, very easy, prolific and hearty. However, I didn't find many uses for it, or other folks who knew many ways to utilize it either. It finally did freeze one winter after several years of growing, harvesting, drying, jarring, and some sharing. I was quite thrilled late one fall to supply a sizable handful of live sprigs to a fellow teacher who needed some for making her brine for the Thanksgiving turkey.  Basil still strove to thrive on the middle tier. Can't quite remember what I planted on the bottom tier originally; seems I tried an herb or two that didn't succeed, before filling with mint--and it's still there, reaching, spreading, and perfuming its space. Happy to harvest frequently in spring, summer, and fall to brew refreshing tea, flavor ice water, or occasionally use in Mediterranean veggies. Yum. Also, it's fun to use a sprig or two to add a bit of lush and fragrant greenery to small "thinking-of-you bouquets," that the bride frequently assembles for friends or coworkers.

Then one day a few springs back, I got the idea to further herbalize our entryway. The removal of an awkwardly growing Mugu pine from our landscaping yielded some fun branches that "should be useful" for something, so bundling like-lengths of pine sticks together with wire and securing them in a vertical stack created walls for a not-so-matching second stair-stepped herb planter on the other side of the front stoop.  It's definitely unique, charming in a country-boy sort of way, and functional. I try to find varieties of herbs that survive the winter; some have, some have not. My amateur herb farmer challenge the past couple seasons has been to keep up with the harvesting, drying and storing of my herby yields. Moderate success meeting that objective has populated my frig top with 13 jars of varying sizes; multiple hues of gray-greens show through the beveled glass or cloudy plastic, and torn-pieces of recycled charity-"gift" address labels identify the leafy contents: currently, sage (still 3 jars!), mint, oregano, basil, chives, marjoram, rosemary, and thyme.  Guess maybe I view my several chances this year to present cute, little, herb-filled jars as travel or holiday gifts (that seemed to be appreciated) as my first step toward herb farmer success. Wishing you moments of calming flavor and fragrant contentment!   

Our Oxymoronic Voyage Across the Ocean of Time

It's been an eternity, yet only a heartbeat. Time is such a blurry concept, ever displaying multiple personalities and garnering vastly variant emotional responses, sometimes simultaneously.  The past many months/years of "no posting" has raced by in dragging days and slothed along in whiplashing weeks, all bursting with ordinary vibrancy and passionate plainness, struggling and striving for brilliant representation amid the kaleidoscopic rainbow smears splashed across the palette of our jubilant and solemn lives.

Life seems to often be a curious combination of contrasting facets, doesn't it?  Perhaps we are all experienced adventurers traversing across regions of juxtaposed emotions, weary wanderers among the merry mazes of frosted perspective. Yet, still, we march forth: our planet still spinning, gravitizing us to our here and now.  Sameness is a stabilizing anchor in our sassy sea; change is our propeller, forcing us eagerly onward; faith, our rudder, guides us fervently futureward to our destined harbors.  

Let me define a few of the droplets and specify the splashes that comprise the currents that have carried us along on our voyage through the missing months.  Then, maybe the preceding prattle will make a bit more sense, like the blip of wispy clarity through hand-smeared blotches on a morning, misted mirror.  Tidbits of life teeming with chaotic order, and contradictory harmony.

*Joyous, touching, centennial birthday party celebrating my amazing Grandma.  (later post, probably)
*Pending a visit to Japan, finally receive brief email message from Japanese Mama, informing that "my husband gone heaven last year."   Japanese Papa died from Leukemia a few months earlier.
*Son completes two-and-a-half-year Peace Corps service on Pemba Island in Tanzania, Africa; tours around Asia for about six weeks before returning to USA with plans to marry and attend grad school.
*Father spends week in hospital when a sudden onset of dementia brings dramatic symptoms and frequent agitation and confusion; traumatizing to witness this sad transformation in my calm, brilliant, caring, passionate Dad. Medications have stabilized behaviors, but cognitive abilities remain inconsistently compromised.  We journey up home as often as we can to spend time with them.
*Same day as Dad's hospitalization, dropped daughter off at coastal airport to fly off alone to South Korea to begin a one-year contract teaching English to Korean school children.
*Became Grand-Uncle and Aunt several more times with joyful births of beautiful grand babies to my sisters and older brother, totaling seven now; one grand-niece and six grand-nephews, plus one more baby to arrive later this spring.  How adorable they all are!  If you don't believe me, ask my sisters or brother.
*Special and spunky 93-year-old widowed Aunt who still lives independently tripped and fell, breaking her hip.  After some hours on her entryway floor, she managed to scoot herself to telephone to call for help.  Comes by ambulance to hospital in our town and has immediate partial hip-replacement surgery.  We spend plenty of time in hospital with her for few days she is there.  She recovered in care facility back in hometown for about 4 weeks after hospitalization, but then is released to return home.  We try to go visit and spend time helping her as often as we can make it there.  She is doing amazingly well, and remains as fiery as ever. 
*Daughter adjusts and seems to thrive in her life in Korea, and we travel to Asia to spend time with her during Spring break, with a stop to visit in Japan on the way. We very briefly see Japanese Mama, but she is not well.  Awesome visits, filled with friends and cherry blossoms.  Wondrous to see the daughter also "blossoming" in her adventure.
*Text from son while we are on Asia journey reporting that his pending marriage was "called off" and asking us to come pick him up to move home in a couple of weeks.  We did.
*Amazing Grandma lived in her own home with my uncle's help until passing on to her Savior's arms after just two weeks in care facility when contracted an infection and declined quickly.  What a remarkable 100-1/2-year life!
*A few days before Grandma's death, Great Aunt (Gram's younger sister) experienced a heart attack and had surgeries and hospitalization for a bit.
*Able to schedule several visits with Bride's Dad and brother in CA over interluding months.  Always a pleasure having the opportunities to connect as frequently as possible as time goes by.  Blessed by our relaxing family times together; glorying in beach-wandering, usually sunshine, and very fresh fruit.
*Even got to coordinate one CA visit with a chance to see oldest-nephew perform with his soul band in nearby beach city.  Awesome. . . and fun visit with the amazing, humble, brilliant bass-guitarist nephew too.
*My mother develops some surface-area cancer so undergoes a couple laser surgeries, followed by a six-week regime of radiation treatments.  This necessitated time away from home for my parents, but they had the opportunity to stay in apartment on hospital campus, so was really a blessing for them.  And Mom amazed her doctor by the strength with which she endured her treatments too. 
*We got to spend time with them most every day, as her treatments were in our town.  Such a gift having this extra time together, and to be able to help them out a little.  Praise God.
*Aforementioned Great Aunt (90-years-old) takes a series of falls that cause some brain bleeding, which compromise health enough to prevent safe independent living.  We were happy to help her (and a few of her necessary things) settle into a cozy studio space at an assisted-living facility in town, and then with emptying out her well-filled two-bedroom senior apartment, and mostly moving to storage in our basement.  We also try to see her as frequently as we can; she is being well taken care of in her new "home," and seems to be improving.
*Every now and then, we get the chance to spend time hanging out with imaginative, active, and so cute 3-year-old grand-nephew #4 when his Dad (nephew #2) and Mom have something going on.  So fun building Legos, playing super-heroes, reading books, making Mac & Cheese together with him, and we're so happy we can help out in this way! 
*Expat daughter finishes year contract at English academy, but starts new job three days later in a nearby town as a native-speaking English teacher at a Presbyterian, all girls' high school.  New apartment, new colleagues, more new international friends, and fun activities to involve herself with seem to keep her enjoying her Korean adventure.  We hope to travel to visit again while she is there.
*Email from "sister" in Japan announces that "Mama" went to heaven in Spring also.  It may have been only a few weeks after we saw her so briefly during our Asia visit. Sad news for us, of course, that this remarkable, passionate, loving woman of Faith is gone; but it's so awesome knowing she is healthy and happy, home with Jesus. Many beautiful memories and shared moments help to keep her alive in our hearts.
*After several months worth of research and applications for job as computer programmer/coder, and plenty of personal programming projects (along with his usual gaming and novel writing activities) son had a few interviews, and was offered a job--which he accepted.  He is working remotely from home for first few months but will relocate to Oklahoma when provisional period is over.  Seems like all is going well so far.  We're excited for him and his new adventure opportunities.   

Okay, so perhaps now I've splashed enough drips of detail across the deck that we are mostly updated on the key goings-on from the "missing months," and the commingling of turbulence and calm, joy and grief, the humdrum and the extraordinary are now sufficiently evident.  And my perhaps perplexing opening paragraphs are more clearly comprehensible.  May clarity and passion reign throughout the adventures of your life in these days.

  

Turning Leaves. . .

Again, I'm here.  Motivated by the kind encouragement to "keep writing" from a long-time friend I'd recently shared my blog-site with, and by the dedication of my son serving as a Peace Corps volunteer in Africa--who committed himself to posting to his blog every day for a month, and who nobly fulfilled that goal--I'm again feeling compelled to attempt my as-of-yet-way-less-than-successful objective of publishing more frequent and regular posts.  I am wondering if my former, unimpressive progress resulted from the inordinate amount of time I take to complete a post, and my "need" to share SO much in each post. In hopes of addressing these flaws, I feel that a "reorganization" here may help provide direction and focus for my ideas.  My blessed life is a colorful autumn forest; multitudes of leaves--brilliant scarlet, rusty red, shimmering gold--collaborating to create stunning arboreal artistry. Each beautiful leaf that comprises my life-masterpiece may become a separate share-worthy topic.  So, if it unfolds as I imagine, my succeeding posts will be a magic mixture of musings from any of the following sections.  Join me in fervent hope that this "revamping" will accomplish my desired intent, and we'll "connect" more consistently in the future. 

Fun Shirt Friday

Not a whole "new leaf" topic, but maybe an intriguing addition to my posting, the Fun Shirt Friday Report will show up in the left sidebar.  Dressing casual on Fridays is nothing new in the work-a-day world, and at my school that's followed different trends through the years. Seems when I first started at my building years ago, jeans paired with a Hawaii print shirt was the guys' casual dress choice. More recently it's trended into jeans and a t-shirt with school colors, mascot, or team. I've haphazardly followed both those patterns from time to time. Definitely sticking with the jeans on Friday thing; but this year, I personally decided to switch it up a bit with the t-shirt. While I am perfectly okay with showing pride in my school, our school colors are orange and green--and frankly, the t-shirt is kind of ugly--in my opinion.  Since my family through the years has gifted me with various t-shirts with interesting pictures/logos that always garner positive comments, I declared it the year for "Fun Shirt Fridays."  Let me tell you, middle-schoolers DO notice and appreciate fun t-shirts.  After the first couple of "Love-your-shirt!"-filled Fridays, I thought I needed to devise a plan for tallying an actual number of verbal "thumbs-ups" the shirts brought my way.  Haven't quite figured out that accurate totaling method yet though; any suggestions?  Anyway, keep your eyes open for facts and figures (possibly even photos) regarding my fun t-shirts in the weeks to come. 

Middle School Moments

When you cram over a thousand "tween/young teens" into a contained rambling space, sprinkle in several dozen adventurous, caring and dedicated adults, and stir in liberal handfuls of creativity, methods and models, and ordered ideas--you get a delightful, magical mixture called "middle school."  I bet for most folks the term conjures up two or three all-but-forgotten--or deliberately-unremembered--years of life from a hazy past; maybe a few wispy, rosy memories of a first crush, or possibly some dark, angsty recollections of being misunderstood, or unaccepted as you bravely attempted to forge the stormy social and emotional abyss.  Middle school definitely is all that, and so much more.  The observations from my vantage point as one of the caring adults sprinkled in differ greatly from those of a tween-aged participant--of course.  But, as you may imagine, "life" at a middle-school could never be described as "dull."  The vast range of maturity, abilities, intellect, behavior, and life-experience in a building of this size is astounding.  Consequently, I am witness to countless moments of ridiculous, silly, clever, bizarre, and amusing drama; comedy, nonsense, farce, tragedy, musical. . . it's all part of daily life at a middle school.  I figured, why not share the wealth with others?   So, the Middle School Moments column will present for you actual scenarios, statistics, or trends that I've encountered, and found compelling in some way. Hope you enjoy traversing the broad expanses of middle-school life with me.

Glories of the Garden

Figured the other portion of my "nurturer" life fits well into the "new leaf" options too.  Not only are the busy months caring for garden goodies at my greenhouse job impactful moments for me, but plants and gardens have been an influential constant in my life since childhood.  Growing up as a country kid, the folks always grew (still do) a sizable vegetable garden which supplied the "root-cellar-closet" and freezer with potatoes, carrots, peas, broccoli. . .  for a good part of the year.  Mom has also always been a "flower" enthusiast, so there were always patches of blooming this and that here and there around home, not to mention the sometimes 30-40 houseplants that decorated inside the house.  And, wildflowers--of course--reliably bloomed nearby in the forests, meadows, hills, and creek bottom all around our mountain ranch.  Mom made it her business to know the names of all of them, and happily shares her knowledge with those around her.  Small vegetable gardens and plenty of ornamental pretties have augmented the landscape at our home as well--a reasonable intersection, I suppose, of my "garden-ous" upbringing and my spring/summer job through the years.  So, I figured photos, ideas, experiments, plans, thoughts. . . from my "garden experiences" might be appealing material to post.  Let me know what you think of your virtual "garden-stroll."

Festival of Family

If you've been one of the faithful few followers of my very tenuous tenure as a "blogger,"--or if you actually know me--I'm certain you are aware that I consider FAMILY premier among the influential blessings of my life.  If we're as-of-yet-acquainted, consider it fact. Accordingly, then, the relative likelihood (pun intended) of me desiring to share facts, emotions and activities that revolve around this remarkable blessing is very high.  So, this section will provide my descriptions, reactions, discussion, analysis, and inspirations from all things family.  Welcome to the clan!

Away Adventuring

My final "leaf" also will likely be no surprise to many readers.  My wife and I essentially met, courted, and married while living and working in Japan. Prior to uniting our lives as one, both of us had separately traveled in other countries as well, and in the quarter-century-plus since, we and our kids have chalked-up innumerable highway miles, motel nights, airplane rides, and vacation moments seeing sights and doing stuff wherever the winds of whimsy wafted us to.  Always a thrill to fill the tea thermos, pack the trunk, and head out for a weekend--or a week, or two-- of adventuring together.  We revisit favorite locales, connect with family or friends, soak up solace and scenic sights, or seek new and inviting ventures--finding fun and making memories along the way.  So, look to this section to read my "adventure-logue."  Sit back, relax, and enjoy the journey!

So, this introduction to the reorganization plan that's supposed to shorten my writing process has taken over two weeks to compose.  Is that irony?  Will it succeed?  Or, am I simply too verbose and passionate to achieve my goal?  Well--guess only time will tell. Come back soon to find the answer.  Until then, God bless your moments!

101 Excuses (or NOT) and Highlights

April-ish 2015. . .
My excuses have overlapped and multiplied toward infinity now; there's no hope of any explanation for my communication absence, but here I am--again, hoping to jump-start my dedication to continued communication regarding our lives. Happy reading--and keep your fingers crossed that my motivation generator functions properly and indeed does generate some substantial thread of "ramblings" here.

I like what I'd begun here nearly two years ago--even in it's sorry state of incompletion--so I'm going to just let it be as is, abandon the 101 excuses list, add in in some memorable highlights from the "absentia interim" and roll from there.

So, I know you've bubbled over with inquiry, a thousand "whys" and "how comes" and "whens" tumbling about in your teeming noggins, craving some rationale for my rampant lack of "Ramblings."  In brutal honesty, I can sum it up in one five-cent, uninspired adjective: LAZY.  But, in a less-succinct, friendlier defense of my dishonorable habits, I--seeking ready redemption from my esteemed readers-- offer this (presumably) more informational and imaginative justification for my severe and sustained silence  

1. Spring sunshine in my region beckons grey-winter-burdened persons to the outdoors. . .
   
2. Protective Papa-hood precludes time at the computer while Princess is home on Spring Break
   
3. Not to mention, the actual journey out of town to take Princess to visit high school friends living in the Pacific Northwest (and of course, dear Bride never neglects any opportunity to head ocean-ward.)
   
4. And a partial week later, (think it happened before my last post--but still qualifies as an attention distracter) was my Spring Break which compelled us to take a soaking journey to Lava Hot Springs in Idaho!  Lovely time, and a nice visit with son on way back.
   
5. And speaking of the brilliant boy, his graduation from university in early May was a busy, exciting time--with lots of family involved in the festivities.
   
6. Drove down on the Friday, met Grandpa from CA there, and made preparations for a celebration party in the park near son's apartment with friends and family after the ceremonies on Saturday.
   
7. Two l-o-n-g ceremonies on Saturday and he participated in both, as he actually earned two Bachelor's degrees: in Mathematics and Computer Science.  The Bride and Grandpa M. attended the morning one, while I happened to watch the part that included him receiving his degree streaming live on-line from the hotel room while preparing for the afternoon and waiting for more family to arrive.
   
8. We all headed to the afternoon ceremony, but didn't meet up with rest of family until at the fieldhouse awaiting the ceremony.  Most of us sat somewhat near one another in the hot, packed arena to endure the ceremonial pomp and witness his second pass through the lines, with mispronounced name, shaking of hands and reception of diploma holder.  Again.
   
9. A bit delayed, but very tasty dinner celebrating his achievements--after Grandma helped get the gravy fixed back in the hotel room, and we hauled all the parts of the feast to the park.  He had 15 or so friends from college there to celebrate with him, as well as all of the family that came over. So very blessed to have the support and dedication of family: Grandpa M., Grandpa & Grandma W., two Aunties, Uncle, and two cousins, and --of course--Mom and Dad.  
   
10. Returning home plans after church services on Sunday needed a tweak or two, but worked out in the end--if a bit later than we'd figured.  Sister's car suffered an ailment after encountering a deep pothole in the street on the way to church, but thanks to AAA membership, an uncle living within 100 miles, and available space in Grandpa M's car, we did all make it back that evening.  
    
11. And, loving Papa-hood (and Son-in-law-ship, too) again minimizes computer time while Son and Dad M. are home with us for about a week  
    
12. Some other time in the spring, spent a long weekend connecting with family.  Spent one night and next morning at my oldest Sister's house--enjoyed too-infrequent relaxed conversation, and a glass of tasty home-brewed wine.  
    
13. Seems we headed up the road a mile for breakfast with Mom and Dad the next morning, and decided would like to go soaking that evening, so made lodging reservations while using wi-fi from sister's driveway, and headed off toward one of our favorite hot springs in Canada in the afternoon.  Met up with other sister and husband for Chinese dinner, and a bit of visiting on the way up.
    
14. Enjoyed a warm soak the last hour before closing at the National Park Hot Springs late that evening, and on our return trip the next morning, we ventured off the highway a ways back into a Provincial Park to check out a very natural, minimally developed hot springs we'd never been to before. Delightful soak among the rocks where a hot river flows off a cliffy-bank into a cold river on the floor of a steep canyon.  Beautifully scenic and peaceful locale for a relaxing soak; we will go back!
    
15. And to further perfect the day, we had a superbly tasty Japanese dinner at a restaurant just down the block from the Chinese we'd eaten with Sister and Brother-in-law the evening before.  Also plan to return there.
    
16. So, guess would be sufficient to say, we enjoy mini-vacations, connecting with family as often as we can fit it in, which makes composing blog entries at home a bit problematic.
    And then there's the thing about my spring/summer jobs.  For about six weeks in the spring, my two jobs tend to overlap.  The greenhouse business sees its most critical and busiest times during the month of May and the first weeks of June.  And concurrently, public schools drag on--despite long-lost focus from most students and a good many teachers as well--til a couple weeks into June.
    
17. Thus, between the harried "get-it-in rush" of the final weeks of lessons at my school, and the "spring-is-finally-here mania" of philafloralists at the garden-center, there were only three days that I did not report to "work" from the day after I got home from son's graduation the first weekend in May until the day we left to retrieve daughter from college in MN in mid-June.  
    
18. One of those days off I attended the memorial service for my sweet, recently-passed Auntie, (at which my brother-in-law compassionately officiated, my brother touchingly eulogized, and my nephew hauntingly fiddled); on another day off, I joined family to help celebrate my amazing Dad's 80th birthday.
    
19. Last day of school was a Friday.  We headed out early Saturday morning east toward MN.  First night in Bismarck, ND and on to Twin Cities area on Sunday afternoon .  Dinner with a friend and her mother at their home was delicious and relaxing, and was so good to catch up some.
    
20. Monday was my 50th birthday and the Princess's last final and paper due; she'd estimated she'd be finished around 5:30, so we planned to go out to dinner to celebrate the milestones--new decade of life for me, completion of second year of college for her.  She IM'ed or texted some time during the day stating that she was now taking her last test at 7:00, so wouldn't likely be done until around 9 p.m.

MUCH LATER:  APRIL 2015: Wow. . . I even ended mid-thought way back then. I'll now try to succinctly complete the potentially lengthy tale of this day, and then change reporting gears for the remainder of the post.  So, Princess's testing delay prompted the bride and I to venture forth for my birthday dinner celebration without her company and made plans to go for dessert with her later. We were sad to discover that the Indian cuisine place where we'd hoped to eat was closed on Mondays; since eatery choices in Northfield are rather limited, we drove one town north on the freeway, wandered a good while on dark streets in the entirely unfamiliar MN city, becoming increasingly frazzled when every well-lit suburban shopping strip failed to prove on its potential to provide "just the right" establishment for my celebratory dinner; we pondered the preposterous profusivity of "Sports Bar and Grills" in one city (NOT what we were looking for,) and were about to redirect our thinking: "Maybe an Arby's Melt is secretly the perfect birthday dinner fare," when just before the freeway ramp, we spotted a dining establishment called "Porterhouse" that projected potentiality.  Steak place, as the name hints.  Enter heavy wooden doors, dim lighting drifting from the dining area, greeted and guided to a table by a quite formally attired host, and offered menus: Arby's Melts are looking like a GREAT idea now. . .but we heroically suppressed all financial sensibilities, delved deep within to don the "Oh well, it's only money. . .it IS my birthday. . .we ARE on vacation" attitude and persevered.  Truthfully, dinner was quite tasty, and we were even served a complimentary sweet, creamy, airy "birthday dessert."  We actually took most of it away in a "go box," since even the two most low-end items from the menu were quite filling, and we had dessert plans with the Princess.  She was well finished with her commitments by the time we got back to campus; we met up with her and exchanged "good-to-see-you" hugs on the dark porch of her Sci-Fi Interest-House residence; she wandered back inside to invite any friend to join us for late night ice cream and returned followed by one kind friend.  Both Princess and the accompanying gentleman thought perhaps there was a Dairy Queen down the way, so we headed "down the way," never to discover a DQ, tried a mid-west diner chain called Culvers who happened to be just closing for the night as we pulled in, and finally arrived at a Perkins, a few cars and lights on hinted that it was still open for business.  As we entered, we were quickly informed they were not an "all night" place but were open for another half-hour, and they did serve ice cream treats.  Lovely Bride probably remembers her ice cream order that night; my "food memories" lack that accurate clarity, however, though I am sure I enjoyed it, and I know I definitely reveled in the company as we celebrated entrance into my "second half-century" of life.  A memorable day!  The next day was spent helping the Princess pack-up and clean her room, to leave behind her sophomore year of college.  We also set out together toward Chicago that evening which ushers forth the Princess's next highlight adventure.

So, a nice segue into my "reporting-style change" as I catch up from the "missing months" of my delinquency.  With no further ado, I present: RAMBLINGS ON FAMILY HIGHLIGHTS

*Princess spent 10 weeks of summer 2013 studying in Ireland.  Irish history and culture through literature and writing was the gist of her coursework, and she explored and immersed herself in the vibrancy of Irish culture as much as possible.  Ruins and pubs and cemeteries and sheep and pastoral green hills and dramatic seaside vistas filled her moments between reading Yeats and Joyce; solo-adventures to castles and museums and concerts around Dublin and a bit in Belfast filled her ten weeks away.  On her mid-term long weekend break, she ventured off-island to the bustling metropolis of London-town to partake of the literature, history and cultural attractions there: got photos taken from Platform 9 3/4 in Charing Cross Station, toured Shakespeare's Globe theater museum, and reveled in the Charles Dickens museum, even acutely connected with beloved hero David Copperfield by reading parts from the book about him in Coventry Garden while sitting in a Dickens Coffee Shoppe in Coventry Garden.  Had an adventurous night or two alone in the city with train mix-ups, before connecting with friends who had also ventured to London.  Made for some quite exciting stories!  You can see photos and read her own telling of the adventures from "Notes" on her facebook page if you are interested.  We parents praise God for providing friendly people to care for her at the right moments and for giving her this wondrous life-broadening opportunity.

*Continuing in the vein of oversea adventures, our brilliant son ventured forth on his Peace Corps stint to Liberia, Africa in June of 2014.  He spent the first part of the year doing some substitute teaching for the school district that I'm at, and completing all the medical, dental, travel paper, and vaccination requirements before flying off for a couple days of stateside orientation meetings in Philadelphia and off to Africa form NYC a couple of days later.  A couple months of language and teacher training together with about 50 other new volunteers while living with a host family in Kakata (an hour or two outside of Monrovia, Liberia's capital) was scheduled before moving to the village where he would teach high school math to Liberian schoolkids. His host father was a Methodist preacher and the mom was a hairdresser; he thoroughly enjoyed learning the Liberian ways with this family, and formed deep connections with the culture and caring people of Liberia before all the volunteers in three countries in the region were suddenly evacuated to avoid the ebola outbreak that was ravaging West Africa at that time.  So, on August 2, just a day or two before he was to learn where he was assigned to go to live and serve for two years, he was whisked away on a plane to London, where they had a layover for a day before routing everyone back to their homes in the US.  He also has a good story about his night alone on the streets of London because of train schedules. Ask him sometime.  The hope that the epidemic would subside and volunteers could return to their assignments in Africa after a month or so was unrealized, and the evacuation involved so many volunteers that Peace Corps was unable to reassign them to different sites, and he was granted "Completion of Service" as of October 1.  After a bit of wondering how to proceed and still committed to volunteer service, he reapplied to Peace Corps; the application was processed very quickly, and he was invited to serve in Tanzania, Africa.  He is happy about getting to return to Africa, albeit on the opposite side of the continent and some further south.  It is the location of the famed Mount Kilimanjaro, part of Lake Victoria, the Serengeti Wildlife Preserve, and the island of Zanzibar, so has lots of appealing features.  Unlike Liberia, where the main language was English (with several tribal languages spoken as well,) he will need to study a bit of Swahili during his orientation months, but he will still be assigned to teach high school level math, and gets to teach in English. He departs for Tanzania in early July.
 
*So, we parents have begun to think of the extra time we get to spend with him as the "bonus year."  In God's wisdom, this bonus year has allowed him to be a part of several important happenings that he'd have had to miss if he'd been serving as scheduled in far away Liberia.  Just a week or two after his return, he got to be a groomsman at the wedding of a friend he's been close buds with since middle school.  He also was able to accompany us on our family road trip to take the Princess back to MN for her final year of college, and so was there to participate in our family dinner with the MN relatives; and he will still be around in June so will get to return to MN to attend his sister's graduation too.  Serendipity!

*No listing of our "highlights" would be complete (as you've likely come to learn) without a mention of the special FAMILY moments we've experienced.  So. . . had awesome time connecting with oldest nephew last spring when we journeyed to Portland to see him in concert with his "soul band."  He plays bass guitar and writes music for a very lively band of seven talented musicians who have been professionally touring to sold-out performances across the country for over two years now, and have just returned from their third tour in Europe.  So wonderful seeing him having so much fun and success living his dream as a "rock star."  He remains very humble and gentle, and we got to stroll the neighborhood in Portland with him, have a bite to eat together, and visit a bit before his concert. (Of course, we also spent a night at the beach; simply can't be that close and NOT go!) So, was a great trip. Son was with us too, assuming it would be the last he'd see of his cousin for a few years before heading to Africa. Also, a grand family time again watching him in concert in our hometown in July of 2014 with LOTS of family attending.  So cool!
  
Spent a week with Dad and brother in CA a few weeks ago, and also last February.  Both kids with us both times, as thinking would be the last chance to all be together for awhile, due to son's departures for Africa.  Always relaxing, fun times to be together, eat tasty international cuisine, play cards, enjoy the solace and sun in the back yard of their family home, and of course, head to the beach as many times as we can squeeze in.  Awesome family times!  This year, worked it in during Princess's Spring Break, and happened to be the week of our 25th wedding anniversary as well.  So, lots of good reasons to travel and gather with family.  

Early last summer saw the passing of two dear family members within a few weeks of one another, so gathered on those occasions for supporting family in our loss, remembering and celebrating the remarkable lives of gentle Great Uncle, and caring Cousin.  God's commentary on Life--in all it's phases--was communicated with crystal clarity on these days: my oldest sister's first grandson was born the same morning as Uncle's memorial, and our Pastor's first granddaughter came into the world on the day of Cousin's service.  Clever choreography from our caring Creator!

Work schedules prevented getting to see much of the extended family during the holidays this past winter, but was able to travel a bit and have a fun family-filled weekend in February. Son decided he'd like to spend a few days with college buddies back in his university town a few days after his birthday, so we drove him down on a Saturday.  Treated him (and a friend he invited to come over too) to a festive and tasty teppan-yaki dinner that evening to further celebrate his birthday.  We stayed in town that night and the next morning drove a sunny and scenic couple hours back west and some south to the small college town where Nephew #3 lives.  He was acting the role of Count Paris in his college theatre department's production of "Romeo and Juliet" that afternoon. We enjoyed watching him (and a dear cousin's son-- who also attends university there) artfully perform, and gathered at his apartment afterwards, with my sister, brother-in-law, Nephew #1, and Niece #2 and her two adorable sons; his parents, brother, sister and nephews that had come down to see his production.  They had all been at Nephew #1's concert at a larger university town a few hours north and west, and his band had a bit of a break in their tour, so he was able to spend a few days with his family before flying back to the South to do a private event and prepare for departure for their several week tour in Europe. Nephew #3's 21st birthday was just a day or two earlier, so his loving Mom (dear Sister) brought a carload of food for his birthday dinner to celebrate with friends. We were so honored to be invited and blessed to be able to share in the family festivities.  Was super having some time to spend with Nephews and Niece and visit about their unique and busy lives.  And the grand-nephews remain as adorable and sweet as ever.  Also got in a tiny bit more time visiting with rock-star Nephew and Sister a few days later when they stayed the night at our house before his early morning flight back south. What a blessing having opportunity to spend time with family now and then!

Another blessed extended-family moment happened on a Friday evening in March when the lovely Bride and I got to spend a few hours with three beautiful sisters--dear Nieces #1, #5 and #7.  They'd made sister plans to meet to view Disney's recent-release of the live-action Cinderella movie together, and Niece #1 had called to invite us to join them.  We were honored to be asked and excited to spend time with the girls, and were even able to treat them to a tasty Asian-fusion dinner and have a bit of a mostly-sunny stroll together before showtime.  Pretty and fun movie, and glorious connecting with the sweet Nieces.  

*And you know I need to mention a few of our travel adventures too.  Late last summer, we headed to Calgary for a bit of a journey before the Princess headed back to college.  Always fun seeing whats new for the critters at the zoo, and taking in the stunning scenery of the Canadian Rockies; discovered another quite authentic and tasty Japanese restaurant in a town on the drive back. Yum!  During my October days-off from school, we drove with the son to Seattle.  Always revel in the chance to shop at the Uwajimaya Asian market, and enjoyed a fun Korean lunch at the awesome food court there, before heading to the docks to catch a ferry across to Bainbridge Island where the son's good friend now lives.  We dropped him off at a Starbucks near his buddy's apartment to wait until he got home from work, and the Bride and I continued heading south and coastward through the grey, misty lowlands.  Travel through the coastal hills and plains of the Pacific always takes much longer than it seems like it should when consulting mileage and routes on maps, but we got to our reserved place at Ocean Shores just a bit before dark.  Peaceful, empowering, ocean view and sounds and smells just out the sliding window door from the deck, gas-fueled flickering flames from the faux-rock fireplace, and a full-functioning kitchen to whip up our simple pasta and fresh garlic green bean dinner all factored in to our satiating and idyllic seaside stay.  A few miles of beach wandering on the peninsula the next day yielded a few fun seashore finds, and provided the breezy, salty solace that sea-goers crave.  Enjoyed a tasty fish and chips take-out dinner on our deck the next evening, and soaked in the oceanic ambiance to energize us for our long-day's drive back home the next morning.  Bride and I also have enjoyed a couple overnight getaways to more nearby locales too.  To help celebrate her birthday last fall, we reveled in a "deluxe" room with a large jacuzzi-jetted soaking tub, a fireplace, and  a scenic view of snow-topped mountains backdropping the wavery waters of a sizable mountain lake.  We ordered takeout from a favorite Thai place just a ways down the street, brought it back to the room, and simply savored our peaceful, scenic, evening of exotic flavors and luxurious bubbles.  Then, for another celebration of our quarter-century of wedded bliss in early March, we stayed at a ski resort in British Columbia; we're not skiers, but the condo-style room with kitchen and fireplace made for a delightful stay, and we loved having the hot tubs to ourselves while everyone else headed to the slopes the next morning.  After our leisurely toasty soak overlooking the bustle of activity at the base of the ski runs, we checked out and made our way down the hill into town for lunch at the local Japanese restaurant.  We'd discovered this one when we'd passed through town some months prior, but it was closed then, so we were excited to find it open and serving very fresh, genuine obento lunches. We deemed it, too, definitely worth a re-visit sometime.

One last travel to mention: next weekend we'll drop the son in Seattle again for a visit with his friends, and the Bride and I will sail on the ferry across to San Juan Island to see the sights (and hopefully some Orcas) and do the island-life for a day.  Hope to have an evening visit with a friend from high school and her family on our way back through before driving home on Monday.  Fun times ahead.

**So, guess I may have hit most the highlights of the missing months now.  Time continues to whiz by and it's taken me several sittings and several weeks to get these updates written and ready for posting.  Spring is officially here for me now, as my job-overlap season began for me yesterday with "Open House" weekend at the greenhouse where I work seasonally.  Busy times ahead--for all of us, I presume.  Seems to be the way of life these days.  May your busy times ahead blossom with all the sunshine and beauty and promise that Spring brings, and you bask in the assurance of God's love and providence for you.  "Talk" to you again soon--presumably. . .

A Quick Ponderance. . .

So, it seems like I have noticed the counter on the blog see a couple significant jumps this past week since publishing the last post.  I like that--if it really means that more folks are reading.  What I don't quite understand is why there is no other evidence that folks are reading the posts.  There are several quick, painless avenues for you to let it be known that you visited the page.  Because I guess I am emotionally needy or greedy, or something like that, I would LOVE to see all visitors leave some sort of indication of their visit.  Let me take a moment to explain these options to you in case you were unaware of the simplicity, and importance (for me), of leaving traces of your visit.  Aha!  My word-choice phraseology may just have helped me stumble upon the cause of the un-indicated visits.  Maybe many of you are back country enthusiasts, and you've sincerely internalized the eco-friendly mantras so relentlessly preached to you in the past decades of "green" campaigning: "Leave no trace!"  Well, I am here today--still loving God's gifts of nature and our role in caring for and wisely using His gifts--to ask your blatant disregard of that naturalist's command so engrained into your psyche.  Please DO leave me evidence that you've visited my "world in words."  Here's how.

1) REACTION:  the simplest way--takes just a micro-second of your precious time.  Directly under each entry, you will see an aquamarine box giving the date and time of the post, and below that, a line in dark purple lettering reading "REACTION:  Made me:"  followed by five possible response choices.  This is an upgrade to Facebook's "Like" button, only offering more specific responses.  I've seen countless Facebook comments saying how they need a LOVE, or SUPER EXCITED, or DISLIKE--or any number of other possible ideas-- button.  So, in my infinite wisdom, I give you a few more choices here--some positive and others less positive.  I truly am interested in honest responses so will never be offended by any response you click--just click one, okay?  So simple.

2) POLL: also very quick and easy--get to express your opinion.  In the right hand column of the blog page, just below the "about the author" blurb, you'll find a section called "Cast your Vote." Under the instructions will be one or more usually light-hearted questions relating to the recent posts, with choices for answers.  Read through the often silly choices and choose one or more that best describes your thoughts, feelings, or experiences regarding the issue.  Sometimes you can choose only one answer; sometimes you can choose more than one.  It will tell you when more-than-one choice is available.  Just a fun way to interact with my thoughts, and I sometimes amuse myself by trying to guess who may have chosen the answers they did.  Sometimes, it may say that the poll has closed, but I try to keep them updated so that they do not expire.  Also, can be intriguing for all readers to scope out the opinions of other readers to see how they fit in the audience.  So, have fun, and interact with my words, by "Casting your Vote."   

3) COMMENT: fairly quick, but allows for more specific idea communication.  In the same pale-blue box where the reaction buttons are, following the date and time of publication, is printed; "0 comments," (or however many there may be, if others have commented on that post.)  If you click on the word comment, it will take you to a different screen with a white box instructing you to "enter comment here."  Simply type what you have to say in the box and hit publish.  If it asks how you want to be identified, you can always choose the "anonymous" option, and it'll probably ask you to enter some code to prove you're not a robot, but that's all there is to it.  Yes, your comments are then a permanent part of the page and available for others to read.  So, if you have specific words of wisdom, or advice, or chastisement, or encouragement, to share with me--and can spare an extra moment or two--this may be the proper option for you.  If more privacy is important for you, then read on to choice #4.

4) E-MAIL: good, feels-modern-but-quickly-become-old-fashioned electronically sent note to me.  In the "About the Author" section in the right column, directly under the hippo photo, you will see my name.  Click on it and it will bring up my profile page.  On the left of that page, again under the photo of William the hippo, there's a pale grey "contact me" box.  Click on the first option, "Email" and voila, a compose message screen should open from your messaging source with my email address in the "To" line.  Type away, and hit "Send."  Easy, private, and of course, I always appreciate messages of substance.

One more thing.  Another feature I've added today is a spot where you can add your email address if you would like email notification when my blog has been updated.  It's toward the bottom in the right column, right above the counter.  So, give it a try if you like to keep current--as often as I do.  Let me know if it's working the way it should. 

So, now that I've enlightened you to the ease of letting me know I have readers--and yeah, shamelessly, nearly-begged for digital attention--I look forward to stunning revelations from my reading audience.  Keep reading!

A Sibling's Offspring

And, here we go again.  How come there's no one word to encompass the aunt/uncle-ship; niece/nephew-hood condition?  See, it's even confusing when I try to clarify what I'm talking about.  We have words like paternal, maternal, fraternal for referring to other familial relationships--although even then, chasmic liberties have been taken.  Fraternal--for example, too often references things widely antithetical to the actual bond between two people with the same parents.  Images of buff, sun-tanned, polo-shirted, inebriated college boys comes to mind--suppose it's a movie-induced image, but seriously causes some animated head-shaking and finger-wagging in the direction of the one so carelessly responsible for coining that usage of the word-part.  What were they thinking?  Or were they?  Personally, I can fathom no correlation between "frat-boy"-hood and a true brotherly bond!  Equally as disconnected and insulting is the insurance/finance industry's use of the term "fraternal organization" to euphemistically refer to greedy, schmoozing, corporate racketeers that deem themselves as caring providers of much-needed or desired financial management services.  Shame on them for abusing the inclusive, multitasking nature of our forgiving language--just for the smooth, underhanded seduction of innocent and optimistic frugal-minded folks simply trying to be good stewards of their rewards.  Where are the "spirit-of-the-law" linguistic police when you need them most? 

Okay--can you say "Tangent"; how about "Rant"?  Seems there may be a bit of pent-up passion there.  My apologies--sort of.

So, for the sake of linguistic ease and clarity, let's realize the idealistic etymologist's dream and coin our own term that encompasses the entire and general realm of the aunt/uncle/niece/nephew relationship.  A quick comparital glance at the terms "aunt" and "uncle" rewards us with the common letters of "U" and "N"; likewise, with "niece" and "nephew", we attain another "N" and two "E"s.  So, lets combine the common letters into a somewhat logical and pronounceable new term: "enune."  I like that it sounds similar to "anew"; after all, isn't the enune condition a dynamic state of renewal as the involved individuals grow and age?  Fitting.  I also like the palindromic nature of the word; it mirrors the palindromic, two-way-street condition exemplified by the relationship-web it describes.  Yes?  And, with a bit of etymological scrutiny we could conclude that the word is a combined form from the Latin prefix "en-" (to cause to be in) and the Latin stem "uni/e" (one, oneness).  Since enune ideally encompasses these ideas of "within" and "oneness", I, again, submit my enthusiastic two-thumbs-up approval for the fortuitous suitability of our newly born word.  Does it work for you?  Guess if you're in the "Negatory--Good Buddy!" camp, you have a choice to make.  Quit reading now.  Or, humor me--and temporarily allow my linguistic fantasy its due process.  Maybe you'll come around.  If you're among the "10-4, Copy that, Loud and Clear!" group, thank you--sincerely--for embracing my linguaphilic passions, and read on: experience the serendipity and strength and solace gained from strolling amid the enune-strewn meadows of our recent lives. 

*mid-January 2013: my dear mother's only sister--the most caring, doting, loving auntie ever, to every one of a couple of dozen or more nieces and nephews, I might add--spent some days in the local hospital, as respiratory and arthritic complications ganged up on her physical body.  So happens that my school is just an Olympian's stone's-throw away from the hospital, so stopping by to visit Auntie after school every day was easy to do--and so rewarding. I basked in the warmth of her unceasing and genuine care for me, and all her family (which--of course--to her included many more folks than those of us blessed to actually share bloodlines).  I gloried in her feisty wisdom, her reverent memories, her purity of passion and devotion for "kids" and "hard-work" and the faith in her God and Lord that holds it all together.  Despite the diseases' crippling warfare on her body, they were impotent against her spunky spirit.  Through the constant pain and discomfort, and the hyper-humbling condition of hospitalization--being the lifelong "doer" now requiring all the "doing"--Auntie remained dignified and calm and spirited, charming all her care-givers, and dinner-deliverers, and this-or-that-therapists that filtered through on their charitable duties.  And me!  I feel so blessed having had this opportunity to spend time with my Auntie, reacquainting, and rekindling a bond born in early childhood when our families were so-closely-knitted-together in time and space that many local townsfolk truly seemed in-cognizant of which of all us cousins (there were nine of us) belonged to which sister--Auntie or Mom.  May not have mattered to us all that much either, sometimes.   Needless to say, time has a way of altering childhood conditions, and adult life hadn't allowed ample togetherness with Auntie for the past few decades, so these solo visits in the hospital--several visits in the past few years--became my selfish pleasure.  I still feel guilty in a way for reveling in the "good fortune" of my visits brought about by her "unfortunate" health condition.  But the revelation that while the effects of time can seem severe to sensitive folks like me, they are rendered profoundly ineffectual against the stoic strength of "enunic" bonds shall remain forever imprinted in my psyche.  And I praise God for my special Auntie as the premiere and prevalent teacher of this important lesson on "enunity."

*later-January 2013: just four-and-a-half days after my last visit (a good five-hours on a very rare, blue-skied, sunshiny Saturday in January) my dear Auntie left her respiratorially encumbered and aching body behind and her soul went to party with her Creator in peace and jubilee.  As I left the hospital to pick up the beautiful bride after her work that Saturday and kissed Auntie's still enviably-rose-petal-soft-skinned forehead and announced my love for her, and consciously slowed my rushing pace to make certain I took in her response, "I love you too, Larry.", I never imagined it would be the last words I would hear her speak.  But, in reflection, since hearing a loved-one's last words is an inevitability for us, I now ponder, "Can it get any grander than that?"  Her life was celebrated a couple Saturdays later at a service of remembrance in the auditorium of the high school where she had dedicated countless hours of service--cheering, waiting, transporting, feeding, truly caring for--to a few generations of kids: her own children, nieces, nephews, grandchildren, grand-nieces/nephews, neighbor-kids, kids' friends, and many others whose hearts called her "Auntie" or "Gramma"--even when not familially connected.  A nephew-in-law (my brother-in-law) officiated at the service, and several of her grandchildren presented memorial tributes to their ever-so-special Grandma, including one granddaughter's touching and tuneful rendition of a Merle Haggard song that her Grandma had liked, soulfully presented as a clear, near-angelic, a-Capella melody.  A theme repeated throughout the service was how Auntie frequently praised her Grandma and Aunts and Uncles, declaring that, "If I can be half as good a Grandma (or Aunt, Uncle) as mine was, I'll be doing great."  Of course, the overwhelming consensus from all was that she had succeeded--with flying colors.  And, thus, the challenge then passes on to all of us; can we be as good an Aunt/Uncle as she was to us?  I accept the challenge, and am enraptured with any opportunity for practice in achieving this noble goal.  See why I think the palindromic quality is so fitting for enune?

*same day--later January 2013: and the day of Auntie's service was the very day I first began to  conceptualize this blog post expounding on the nature of enune.  Here's the enune-laden details.  It actually begins the evening before--on Friday--when the bride and I had arranged to spend the night doing dinner and movies with another special aunt.  This aunt is my dad's older sister, widowed a couple winters back, and she and Uncle never had their own children, so they also were always very devoted and special to a host of nephews and nieces.  After Uncle happened to win a VCR in a raffle several years ago, their pattern of watching movies together every evening began.  The pastime gradually developed into a passion over the years, and my aunt became a dedicated and discerning movie collector; her frequent thinning of the "watched-enough" titles and her ever-focused "junk sale" or thrift store pursuit for the elusive, desired John Waynes or early musicals has resulted in an impressive library of video entertainment, complete with inked tick-marks--or sometimes abbreviated dates--on the cardboard cases to track her viewing history of each title.  Since the bride and I also quite enjoy our movies, and spending time together with family is always fun--especially with special, widowed aunts, we made the dinner/movie night plans.  We left as soon as we could get everything together after school on Friday in order to make it to Aunt's comfortable, roomy home by her lifelong-routine 5 p.m. dinner hour.  We did need to call to warn her that we were running a bit late, but we did make it by 5:30 or so.  The home-cooked, lovingly-prepared meal was very tasty, of course. And the collection of crystal or ornate cut-glass vases, candy dishes, creamers, etc, that ever occupy the edge of Aunt's table shimmered brilliantly in the refracting light from the dining-room chandelier overhead.  But this fulfillment and illumination at the dining table proved to only be pale reflections of the more lasting and profound fulfillment and the brighter, deeper illumination occurring within our souls as we steeped in Aunt's gentle wisdom, inner strength, and devoted nature.  Later, while I perused Aunt's decades' worth of dedicatedly kept-up photo albums, the bride and Aunt went downstairs to select the movies we would watch.  The better fraction of an hour later they ascended with a few choices, and a bit more discussion concluded with a Gene Kelly musical, "An American in Paris," and the 1948 John Wayne classic, "Red River," as our evening's entertainment.  The bride and I had never viewed either of them, and Aunt knew the western was definitely one to re-watch, and had watched the dancing film, but couldn't  remember it clearly, so another go-around was fine.  We watched the musical first--light and truncated on plot, heavy with elaborately-set, lengthy dance routines, and we finished up with John Wayne in the wee hours.  Fun night at the movies--even had popcorn somewhere in the span of hours!  Enjoyed a relaxing Saturday morning, late rising, light breakfast, and early leisurely lunch with Aunt, before we left to head into town for other Auntie's memorial service.  Of course, family abounded at the service accompanied by hugs and handshakes and whispered words of comfort as we communally remembered a remarkable life and grieved a too-early passing.  It was following the post service meal and gathering that our day developed into a doubly-exposed image of enunity.  My oldest niece and her husband had bought and semi-moved-into a new house in town that we hadn't been to, so we accepted the offer to come over for tea and have a look at their place.  Two of her sisters (nieces #3 and #5) and #3's husband were leaving her place shortly after we arrived.  Need to let you know that this niece and her husband are tea enthusiasts on par with us, so there's an extra dosage of bonding going on when having tea together.  Her unique mugs and ornate iron teapot and a flavorful, herby, whole-leaf blend added to the pleasure and ambiance of "taking tea" with our niece.  Midway through our first delightful mugs, nieces 3 and 5 and accompanying husband suddenly returned to the second-level abode.  Seems they were fueling up when they noticed the occupant of the neighboring pickup truck kept a very startling companion; seeing the apparently very large python-like serpent writhingly embrace its master's head, neck, arms was quite unnerving for the young ladies, so they returned to sister's to calm themselves a bit--and a mug of hot, aromatic tea would be just the thing.  So we sipped our soothing tea, socialized a bit more, and soaked-in the enune-induced solace. All three nieces are charming, cheerful, and delightful souls so fun to spend time with.  Truly an enunically-effervescent day!

*A couple weeks later-early/mid February 2013: wanted to have a bit of  together-time with the son, so made plans for a quick visit with him on the weekend before his birthday.  His Saturdays are filled with scheduled activities--hours of D&D gaming, lengthy strategy-training sessions to prepare for the campus Humans versus Zombies tag game--so no need to arrive before having a chance to visit him in the evening.  And we're in the habit of leaving home after work on the day before--just for the extended-vacationality of it.  So, since we planned to spend Friday night a couple hours son-ward in the city where my nephew (#2) and his bride live, we arranged to meet them for dinner.  When we called soon after pulling in to town, we agreed with their suggestion to eat at a Thai noodle restaurant.  None of us were experts on Thai cuisine but our dinner choices proved to be both tasty and filling.  And as I know you've come to expect from me by now, while I do always savor ethnic flavors, and truly did enjoy this flavorful Thai dinner, the true and deeper delight of our evening was the enunic camaraderie.  Newly-wedded (around 10 months now) Nephew and Niece-in-Law are easy-going, charismatic, caring, and down-to-earth folks who--we presently learned--also happen to be "movie-fans", so our dinner conversation was a smorgasbord of sharing about jobs, university classes, family, movies, travels, and other interesting whatnot.  After we parted in the parking lot, exchanged "see-you-later" hugs (I tromped on sweet Niece's toes--So sorry!) and sent them on their way with Valentine's treat bags of freshly baked monster cookies, beautiful bride and I were in total agreement as we clicked our safety belts in place and near-simultaneously commented to each other, "They're sure cool, good kids."

*Next day, same city: after a brisk, few-mile walk along the river, we waited near a downtown eatery for another niece (#2) and her husband and their super-adorable year-old son.  They were temporarily living down the highway a ways but planned to come in on this weekend, and since we were in town and had a few more spare hours before heading on to see son, we made plans to have lunch with them.  Turns out that the cafe where we'd decided to meet was also the choice of hordes of other local folks on this mild, nearing-Spring Saturday, so we opted to try a different establishment rather than wait.  Actually, we wandered the neighboring blocks to three or four possible dining locales before finding one that was open for the lunch hours.  Fun, historic building, very welcoming and friendly atmosphere, and plenty of unique menu choices made it a serendipitous option in the end.  I know I liked the meal, although I can't remember what I ate.  The endearing enunity of the afternoon trumped the needed memory space, I guess, as we shared and connected with this beautiful young family.  I even got to assist grand-nephew with eating his lunch, so after his rousing game of "I Drop-You Retrieve" with the plastic-coated mini-spoon, and amid wide-eyed, crinkly-nosed grins and non-stop "let-me-help" hand action, we managed to get him an ample supply of natural and nourishing cereal/fruit puree.  After lunch we extended our visit a bit as we all trekked down the block to a park and playground to play with sweet baby grand-nephew.  He really enjoyed drumming on the music pipes, and climbing up and sliding down the slides.  Again, rampant appreciation, and awe and pride--enunic emotion--bubbled within me as we hugged our good-byes; so grateful that we have opportunities to connect with family in this way, and so thankful that our busy, brilliant, charming, youthful nieces and nephews (and spouses) are willing to make the time for the perhaps selfish whims of a perhaps hyper-emotional "old" uncle and his dear, caring, innocent bride.

*Two weekends later--mid/late February: during a quick overnight visit up to my folks' place, we were accompanied on a winter trek through the woods by nephew #4.  He's an energetic, caring, outdoorsy early-teen and had strapped on his x-country skis while we were using snowshoes, so his progress was much quicker than ours (never mind the few decades age difference) and he constantly, patiently stopped to wait for us every several-dozen yards during our "across the crick and through the bottom" journey.  Good time together.  He also is a brilliant musician, so we always enjoy his impromptu violin performances and he often has plenty of questions or points of discussion for his musically-gifted Auntie--my sweet bride.  Another of his passions is languages and cultures of the world, so since we have some international experiences, we enjoy connecting with him in these realms as well.  What a super fun and loving kid that we are blessed having as a nephew!

*Same weekend +: after services on Sunday, we re-journeyed to connect with dear Niece #2 and wonderful husband, who a few days earlier had become parents to a second baby-boy.  There were some neonatal complications, so the baby was admitted to the hospital.  My sister was with her daughter helping care for first grandson so Niece and husband could tend to new baby's needs at the hospital.  We wanted to be of help and support for anyone we could, so we decided to make the drive.  We made contact with Sister on the way down and learned where to find them all, so we converged on them for that evening and part of the next day.  We tag-team accompanied whoever was over at the hospital in baby's room and back at the Ronald McDonald house for support that evening, visiting and helping however we could.  It is very hard watching loved ones go through such intense, stressful experiences, but so impressive witnessing the strength and wisdom and insight with which they endure. And grace.  Despite our uninvited "invasion" on their private emotional moments, Niece and her husband (and Mom and Dad--my sister and brother-in-law) remained welcoming, and appreciative and gracious.  We were happy to be able to provide some groceries and have a bit more time with them before returning home on Monday.  Baby underwent a surgery and resided in the NICU for several weeks before released, so we went down again a couple weeks later.  Brought take-out Chinese for dinner when we showed up that evening, and I got to cuddle little-one for quite awhile when we went over to his room with his Momma.  Awesome.  Beautiful.  Miracle.  The family needed to move from the home where they were temporarily living while awaiting baby's arrival, but since they were more-importantly occupied with their newborn at the hospital, the bride and I came down this time primarily to do what we could to help pack-up and clean, so the house could be more easily vacated and ready for new incoming renters when their deadline date came later in the week.  We made the better-part-of-an-hour's drive down the highway to the unique house in the foothills with Sister's directions from the passenger seat while Brother-in-law followed after stopping for a few groceries at a market on the way.  The bride and I had a pleasant, sunshiny jaunt around the gravel/muddy roads the next morning after Brother-in-law's tasty sausage and egg breakfast, and before dismantling, packing, and vacuuming as much as we could in the house.  We returned to hospital town in the afternoon, ate tasty, skillfully-crafted, deli-style turkey sandwiches freshly assembled by Nephew-in-law, and enjoyed a few more radiant grins, contagious giggles and amusing antics from gorgeous grand-nephew #1 before bidding our adieus and driving home.  Enunical encounter overload, you wonder?  I respond, boldly and resoundingly, "No!"

*So, let me briefly amplify just a couple more momentous enunical encounters from the past months before I finally conclude this over-long post.  First was a quick overnight stay from Nephew-in law #1 (getting tricky here, I know.  He's not my oldest nephew-in-law, but IS the husband of my oldest niece; the tea enthusiasts from a few paragraphs up.)  Anyway, he was flying out early one morning on job-related travel, so phoned to ask if he could spend the night before at our house (10 minutes from the airport) to provide for more sleep and less stress on his travel morning.  We welcomed his company and occupation of our spare bed, and were ready for him the evening he came.  He had called as he was leaving home and was somewhat later arriving than should likely have been.  When I inquired, he confessed that, yes, he had gotten lost a bit trying to find our place in the dark, but also recounted how he'd been detained by an officer curious why he failed to dim his headlights as soon as he ought have.  "Nephew" humbly explained that since their own car's headlamps lacked insufficient brilliance on high-beams, that he was out of the habit of dimming, and he disremembered that he was driving a company vehicle that didn't suffer the same mal-illuminating condition.  Apparently, the explanation sufficed and the officer chose not to ticket his traffic faux-pas.  We, of course, served him a mug of tea--he'd eaten dinner with his dear wife before leaving home--and as he sipped the hot brew to soothe the stresses of his evening, he related how this was the third or fourth time he'd been stopped in the past few weeks for seemingly insignificant cause; none of them had resulted in a ticket, just warnings and clarifications.  We talked a bit about movies, TV shows, and his job before we convinced him that if he really planned to bank up sleep time, he needed to go to bed.  We heard him leave in the dark morning hours but he'd assured us we needn't get up, so we didn't.  Hope he had a good and profitable business trip; haven't talked to him since--but we feel honored that he was comfortable asking and staying with us.  And, finally, I need to mention how blessed it's been the past few months having Niece #5 slide into the pew next to us for worship services on Sunday mornings or Wednesday evenings.  Vivacious, outgoing, caring--nearly always adorned with a wide bright smile, her sweet presence with us in church deepens the impact of Worship serving as a model for the "communion of saints" we'll experience when we reach Heaven.  And, its just so fun to have more constant contact with her and learn about the rest of the family, and be uplifted by her always cheerful, optimistic approach to life.  We even managed to find one Sunday when her active friend/family-filled, social life allowed her time to have lunch with us after church.  What a delight, having the chance for casual connectivity, and, though the brilliance of the enunity deeply dims my recollections of the meal, I am guessing the food was tasty and pleasant too. 

So, can you believe the wonder and grandeur of our enune-strewn meadows?  Truly an awesome and miraculous gift from God, huh?  Praying you also discover your life glimmering with the precious treasures of enunity!