OLD HOME WEEK
My friend Diane e mailed me to question my reference to our
28 day trip around Cape Horn in last week’s dispatch. I agreed that I thought it was longer than 28
days but I had not referred to any notes that would confirm my dates. She
was right. The ship departed Fort Lauderdale on January 31 and arrived in San
Francisco March 21. It was a 49 day
excursion. Thank you, Diane. I really
need to stop relying on what is becoming an unreliable memory bank!
Our weekend in Washington concluded with a Sunday dinner
with Diane and her daughter, Crista, son-in-law Chris, grandchildren,
Sophie and Nate and fellow California friends, Vickie and Gerry. Chris and Gerry officiated as “chefs de
gallante” (gallant chefs? my attempt at hillbilly
French!) with a wonderful grilled salmon
accompanied by fresh crab legs and all the fixings that left Ken still smacking
his lips Monday morning. I truly expect
to be hearing about that feast until he draws his last breath or I mine. The company, food and conversation concluded
a weekend that was sad but celebratory and a fitting goodbye to our friend.
On Monday morning we made our way back into Seattle, turned
in our rental car and boarded our plane for a return trip home. My niece and nephew Joy Neely and J. D.
Pinnick met our plane in Burbank and transported us home for this, another safe
trip out and about.
On Tuesday we motored over the mountain to Wrightwood (where last year we picked JD up for a break from his hike) and enjoyed a meal fit for a mountain man, Joy's treat. Wednesday Terri treated us to breakfast at the Potholder in Long Beach. Our adventure of the day was an electric boat ride on Newport Bay compliments of the Captain of our ship, Ken. We concluded the day with dinner at Clarman's North Woods somewhere down the freeway toward Orange County. Living on a fixed income, it is increasingly difficult to justify the enormous prices of restaurant faire even if an affluent minimizing nephew is paying!
Thursday JD caught the train for a quick ride to Ventura and visit with his cousin and another nephew of mine, John, and his wife Alice. JD and John did much of the Pacific Trail together and thus, they bonded as cousins, fellow trekkers and suitable specimens of macho millennials. Joy stayed behind with us while we welcomed the latest in big brother technology with the installation of a “on time” display for reading our electrical usage. It is a new fixture for an ongoing family discussion about our waste of energy. So far, we are having a good time learning how much energy we used on a given day and being reminded of how much it cost!! Whatever will they think of next? This additional availability of “awareness” seems to fit right up there with the extra .25% tax in order to avoid the County or the State from getting money that can better be spent by our Glendale’s city fathers.
Through all of our “fun”, Ken managed to acquire some extra
baggage in the form of a cold. Friday I joined
him in a laid back lifestyle while Terri and Joy visited the Nixon Library in
Yorba Linda. Ken had planned to
accompany them but alas, even he has to grudgingly admit the inevitable reality
of not feeling well. Neither of us has
been to the Nixon Library and that is on our “bucket list” on a day when the
aches and pains of old age awareness gives encouragement to such activity. Our friend Bob Gersten expressed his belief
that the Nixon Library was more interesting and relevant than the Reagan
Library. I can’t comment because I have
not been to the Nixon Library but my “off the top of my head” thought when he
made the comment was, “that figures Bob’s political views were more closely
aligned to Nixon” (neither of whom would have got his vote, mind you!). Bob is another friend with whom we shared many travels. He is no longer here to defend himself but if he is looking down from
above he is not surprised and is probably chuckling at my ongoing irreverence to
all things political.
Saturday we were pleased to cap our week of family fun off
with dinner at our adobe. We enjoyed the
grilled salmon in Washington so much we wanted to try a reasonable facsimile of
that tasty meal. So nephews, JD and John,
grilled salmon, steak and fresh asparagus on the barbecue while I did some rice
and boiled corn on that old reliable and traditional resource for preparing
food, the stove. While my marinade for
the salmon may not have reached the heights for seasoning that we enjoyed in
Washington, it all came out good and the nephews were outstanding in their jovial
co-chef role. We capped our meal off
with apple pie and ice cream. Gary came by after work and enjoyed some of
our left overs while entertaining us with a review of his and Marci’s recent
trip to Alaska as well as gave us a blow by blow summary of events surrounding
his heart attack much of which we were hearing for the first time. Parents are apprised on a "need to know" basis and we had not made the cut previously.
I have enjoyed a wonderful week of millennial overview. Nephew JD has concluded that he has too much “stuff”
and that he needs to free himself of that burden. He has adopted a philosophy of “minimalism”
and is in the process of getting rid of all things irrelevant. (That may include his Aunt when he reads
this.) In my limited exposure to the
thinking of today’s millennials, this seemed highly unusual for someone barely
in his 40’s. Of course, one look around
our house with its 67+ years of collector’s junk, I could identify with the validity
of the concept. Nevertheless, I could not resist
reminding him that his philosophy for living might not be an asset should he
decide to pursue a romantic interest with a girl of means. His very sincere and committed intention to
minimalize prompted me to think of "things” that he might need to give
up. This morning after he was on the
plane returning home, I analyzed our dinner preparation and the
numerous requests for items rarely used as possible candidates for
disposal in a minimal philosophy. I
wished that I could have one last shot at reminding him that minimalism in
practice (like political views and all things extreme) needs moderation. (How else could I have supplied four large platters --
not a one from one of my five “guest” sets of dishes--, various spices, some A-1 sauce that expired 3 years ago and numerous
items that no minimally stocked kitchen could provide.)
Our evening concluded with nephew John expounding on his
view that inheritance tax is good and necessary. That subject proved to be interesting provocative
and fun. I think that our personal views
are formed from experiences, people, and exposure to realities as we see them
and thus, the discussion was raucous, (Ken and I are hearing challenged) a
little illogical, thought provoking and good for further discussion. Need I
say more? My two great nephews provided
me good insight into the millennial future and I am glad that it is in their
good hands. God bless you all!
In case you are wondering, my comments about my nephews are written
tongue in cheek. I love them and I love
trying to challenge them with my old fashioned attitudes and being challenged
by them. Of course, neither they nor I
will change one iota but it is good to discuss our positions. I have
to admit, I need to be more “aware” of the millennial thought process. It needs review by those who are right in the
traditions of our “old school” teachings!
Oh, Ken and I were watching Chris Wallace interview
a veteran of World War II today. We were impressed with his vibrant, alert and intellectually
stimulating remarks. We were
shocked when Chris remarked that the gentleman was 95 years old. That aggravated me and I decided to retaliate. I jumped up from my chair and walked into the
kitchen while Ken got up (he did not jump) and went to take a nap. Of course, no one ever said life was fair!!
There you have it. It was a good week with a rare visit with family that I enjoyed immensely.
There you have it. It was a good week with a rare visit with family that I enjoyed immensely.
