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I can't believe how quickly summer is marching along for me. Filled with all good things, so far. But, my oh my, am I exhausted!!!I'm coming off a 7 week extravaganza and still in recovery. Taylor and I started in June by going to Oregon and Washington for two weeks. While there we attended David's graduation. Yeah!!!!!!!! We were all so excited - here we are on the Evergreen campus after the big event. It was quite an unusual graduation ceremony and definitely worth the trip. Try to picture samba dancers leading the processional instead of pomp and circumstance. We followed up with a dinner for family and friends at an Indian restaurant. Now David will be heading off for University of California at Davis for a PhD program in ethnomusicology. We're so happy for him, as well as proud. He is following his own path, in his own time. We should all be so lucky.
The grand finale of the first two weeks of the trip was my 40th high school reunion. What a hoot. You're looking at my best friend Nancy, and me before the event. I'm so glad I went. It seems that everyone is more of what they were in high school. I had a wide range of friends and it was a kick to see so many people in one place. The entire time was wonderful - catching up with old friends, and just being in Washington and Oregon together was a treat.
When I came back to Pennsylvania I brought my mother with me for a 3 week stay. We dragged her everywhere including New York City and Connecticut. She told us she thought she was a "damn good sport" to see so much in so little time. She had never seen our house in Connecticut so we did a drive by. I actually had the nerve to go into the driveway to inspect the perennial bed that I planned and planted five years ago. It looks good.............but it was all I could do to keep from jumping out of the car to divide and replant. It was a bit crowded.
Of course, I had to take mom back to Portland. This time I house sat for the same best friend in the picture who was doing volunteer work in Mexico. So I got to live in Portland like a native. I went to a party, had a dinner party, and had my cousin and David stay with me for a bit too. The bittersweet part of it was spreading my father's ashes. My mom, David, cousin and Dad's final caregiver, Jeri, and I went to the woods where mom and dad loved to walk, spread the ashes, We followed up by enjoying his favorite treat at a picnic table: maple bars and coffee. It was a good conclusion to my northwest summer.
I've got a few more trips on my near horizon - back to Seattle for my son's best friend's wedding over Labor Day. I've known Graham since birth so he's worth the trip, but oy, can I keep this pace up? And.............we plan to go to Mexico City in November to visit our other son - Syvart, who is living there and teaching English.
All this having fun - a tough job - but someone has to do it!! I'm just thankful that for a while at least everyone is healthy and happy in my family and we can all enjoy life. I know how quickly things can change.
