Some cruise the Danube.
My Captor and I cruise North Carolina and Virginia. And occasionally Georgia.
Though we enjoyed the Hallmark Channel’s ‘Cruisin’ the Danube’ series: 3 heart-warming movies, oddly with happy endings! And European Apple Festivals!
Cruising again post-GU reunion, spending 4 days in Alexandria with Katharine’s family, 3 days in Charlotte with Emily’s family.
The former full of soccer and baseball, the latter 9 and 6 year-old birthdays June 3 and 4.
Making one wonder what was happening on Labor Day…
And after a brief stop home, on to North Georgia for a book club reunion, followed by ATL for Nick’s birthday celebration.
The consistent theme: Familiarity.
Alexandria chock full of 9 year-old girl’s soccer, and 2 baseball games on Saturday and Sunday.
I love kid’s sports, but hit my quota with my own kids. This trip reminding why I like soccer: It starts and ends on time, your family member an active participant throughout.
‘Desert’ technology improving the baseball experience; a tent placed over the stands providing much needed shade, during the nearly 5 hours of ‘quality’ time.
Different from our kid’s era – GameChanger an app displaying live game details; The premium version even containing betting odds: Henry +280.
Another pleasant development: Low-key parents, quietly encouraging, never complaining about the umpire. Putting a lie (briefly perhaps) to my theory the only problem with youth sports adults.
Best yet, games running relatively on-time!
Sports aside, the weekend great, we headed for Charlotte contented. Chuckling that Katharine was officially a ‘Little League Mom’.
Charlotte was Birthday Central, with two very different celebrations.
The 9 year-old heading for school after the celebratory breakfast, and partially assembling his new Shark and London Legos. Oddly, he seemed to like them more than our check.
But he enjoyed the birthday poem in our home-made card, our favorite rhyme ‘Conversationalist’.
His cousins joining for a birthday dinner of hamburgers and hot dogs, a menu I might copy for my day.
His younger brother’s shindig the following day, he the Blow-Up King, 8 or 9 added to the Happy Birthday in the kitchen upon arising. Immediately noticing the missing Christmas dog, situation quickly corrected.
He spent the morning building The City, a complicated Lego he liked better than our check. Our favorite homemade card poem rhyme: Did you find the cold light?
His dinner at a local brewery with pizza delivery, which replaced my hamburger/hot-dog menu, temporarily making him my favorite grandchild.
Birthday aside, the visit great, we headed for home contented. Chuckling that Emily was officially a ‘Boy Mom’.
A Donut visit part of each stop, raising the question of who enjoys it more: PA or the grandkids?
The next event our Couples Book Club, at our friend’s Lake Blue Ridge cabin(s) in north GA.
We’re in our 13th(?) year with the 3 other couples, our friendships approaching the 50-year mark.
Eating, boating, napping, chatting – and more eating – a big part of the time, but we also made ‘Love Is Not Enough’ our book discussion.
An intense experience, but a subject for another week…
The few days too short, too few – unless you’re hosting, of course – great catching up.
The visit great, heading for ATL contented. Chuckling about the aging group struggling to remember names and dates – like being home with My Captor!
The visit concluding with a non-birthday blow-up, non-Lego, non-check, celebration of Nick with Matt. But F U N nonetheless. We’ll do it again next year!
The visit great, heading for SSI contented.
Chuckling how lucky we are to have friends and family in our life, and the beauty of familiarity…
ENHANCE YOUR ENJOYMENT OF THIS POST, PAIR WITH THE FOLLOWING ‘AGING HIPSTER MUSIC/READING’:
Deer Tick’s new album still waiting – – we listened to the Don Williams reissue while boating! Quite good.
And Love Is Not Enough still available on Amazon. What a great read for anyone who has dealt with mental health or addiction issues. Or just wants to read about family love and recovery.
My recent interview, detailed in Let Me Ask You (https://beersatthenifty.com/let-me-ask-you/) might be attached. As a certified luddite, I can’t be sure. But here’s a link: