Postings from Germany

Backup and Go Forward

Does that make sense?  It does to me.  It has been a short forever since I've added something to this journal and though it's tempting to gloss over the last couple of months, I need this for my memory and my record.  So please tolerate while we do a bit of catch up.

The Orlando segment was posted, so on from there ....

Lynn Haven

What a nice time.  It always is.  It was a bit shorter than usual, but we knew we would be spending some quality time with all these folks in the not-too-far-away future, so we were not feeling too down.








Michelle is so proud of her upside-down tomatoes!  And well she should be.  These prolific and well-loved plants have produced who-knows-how-many -- but Michelle does because she is keeping count --  little sugar-sweet tomatoes.  Put them out in a bowl and they disappear like candy. If I ever get to spend a summer here in Bremen, I'll try to do that as well.

Then there was a day on the boat.  Good grief, can life get any better??  Out on the water, enjoy the sun and the surf and the sand, grill a hamburger and - have a beer in a screw-off-top can/bottle?  That was a new one on us, but the beer was cold and good and who can complain about that?

 

And would you believe that Werner got sucked into Wii?? But he did.  Hunter had him golfing and bowling and it was fun to watch.  He sheepishly asked Michelle one afternoon, "Can we turn on the Wii?"  What was the answer.  Not yes, no one says that anymore, but "Absolutely!"

Atlanta

Then off to Atlanta for the big celebrations - Mother's 90th birthday and Ginny and Barry's 50th anniversary.  Since Mother's birthday was actually a few weeks earlier and there had been two different celebrations for her - one at church and one with the family - our focus was on Ginny and Barry.  And Family. With a capital F.

Gina and Liz had done a great job of organizing and planning, and the guys pitched in, too.  We simply sat back and enjoyed it.  And we did!  First, the limo.  W O W.  I don't know how much Ginny and Barry loved it, but Werner, well, he REALLY loved it!  (Julia and Larry thought they were at the drive in!)

And the cousins - big and little - had fun re-connecting.  Hunter, Hannah, Hayden and Dylan don't get to be a regular part of the Atlanta goings on, but it just takes minutes to figure out we all belong together. Of course, the "big kids" didn't need re-introductions.

Good food. Talk.  Speeches (unfortunately, I got Barry with his mouth open ....). Family. It all means an evening to remember.




But, hey, we're not finished yet!  There was the Sunday Pool Party, a late family birthday party for GeGe/Grandmother/Mother (all the same person, of course).

All the local folks brought food to add to what Ginny had put together, and they've had a lot of practice at this - grill, cooler, tables, chairs, all the fixin's. It's better than most hotels, I can tell you!

The weather couldn't have been better and the little kids were pruney from spending so much time in the water.  Even a grown-up qualified for pruney, too.  The boys played boules/lawn bowling/petanque and the others played audience.  We all played family.  Wow.

Ninety is nothing to sneeze at, and frankly, Mother seems to be handling it pretty well.  Enjoy the show.





It's hard for me to express how much it means to me to be with everyone when we are there.  It's so easy to take for granted what is always there to enjoy, what is at hand.  Since we get these family moments only now and again, they do take on special meaning. Thanks to all of you for making these days - intended for Ginny and Barry and Mother - so very special for me as well.  Here's to family.