Weekend at Home and a Reunion

Now a week into retirement no one is asking, "how's retirement?" I'm glad that's over. What projects do I have this week? One. Find a project! Maybe this blog could be one. It's been more than two months since I've written anything. I have been reading. The latest is "Team of Rivals, The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln" by Doris Kearns Goodwin. The Civil War has finally begun after 400 pages into it. She is very thorough. In the midst and early in his administration there is lots of yelling going on around the President and lots of people giving him what for and loose advice. He amazingly keeps his cool and makes measured decisions. (kept and made) I find myself yelling, decide something, Mr. President, please. This was going on almost 150 years ago. No, not my yelling, his administration and "the recent unpleasantness" of the war. It's a great book, I recommend it.

For the first time in several years we were able to go to the family reunion in Asheville, NC. For most of the past years we were busy with the start of school and couldn't make it to see all our aunts, uncles, and cousins. So, last weekend we all gathered at Lake Junaluska in Western North Carolina and ate and ate and ate. We caught up on, "what do you think about life, in general?" That is such a dangerous question, but one that you learn to smile at and to say, "in general, good." I volunteered to be the "official" photographer for this event; after we arrived. It's important to get the principals and the children in your shots. Well, for me my children are the principals, but I got most everyone else too. I did take a few large group shots that turned out OK. It'll be one of those you can look back on and see who was there then. Of course cousin Jimmy was running around and claiming some excuse about waiting on Judy and kids and didn't get in the shot.

Our great hosts for the weekend were Marshall and Trudy at their very comfortable home in Fletcher. We all cheered for our favorite dancers during the "So You Think You Can Dance" finals. We were all split on the final four, but I chose the winner. When you get together with family you eat really well. We all know that Marshall makes a great burger, 'nuf said. Trudy treated us with double rich chocolate cake and hot luscious peach cobbler ala mode.

Eleanor, Emily and Estelle spent lots of time going to the nature center, the children's museum, visiting friends and probably going to a fabric store or two. We did have a couple of meals with mom. I think she's doing and looking great. She says that she doesn't have much strength anymore, but she did pretty well this weekend. Mom and I drove up Blue Ridge Parkway almost to Craggy Gardens. We got stopped by roadwork so didn't have too much time to look at the mountains. We did notice how lush green everything was. We had lunch at Chelsea's in Biltmore Village just across the street from where mom used to live at One Boston Way after they had to leave the Estate for a while during the depression. Mom also reminded me of her first date with daddy up Chimney Rock. She told me he was showing off kicking a match box around and dangling his feet off the edge of a big rock. She still shakes her head at some of the dangerous things he did to show off. Dad was amazing. Mom is amazing.

It was great to see Ed and Nancy home from Virginia. Ed has a huge garden that he often over stocks with beans, corn, tomatoes and such. Thankfully he brought us all some Silver Queen roastnears.

We'll be going back to Asheville in September and I'll take a few copies of the BIG photo home to mom.