It is Christmas Day; cold and clear.
Dinner with warm hearts close by
Yet far from those we love most.
WARM HEARTS
Category: family
WHERE WERE YOU ON NOVEMBER 22, 1963?
I expect everyone of a certain age remembers where they were when the news was announced of the assassination of President Kennedy. Saint Georges’ School had just been let out for Thanksgiving vacation. I was hitchhiking into Newport along Memorial Boulevard. A step van stopped to pick me up and told me the news. I wasn’t certain whether or not to believe him and initially dismissed the thought.
It took me a long time to absorb the idea that an assassination of an American President could actually happen. I believe the loss of that kind of security is what people really mean when they refer to the loss of innocence. It could never happen here. It certainly spoiled my Thanksgiving holiday.
TRAIL OF TEARS
ORACLE WINS ANOTHER RACE; SCORE: 8 TO 6
Heading back to Rhode Island today. A bitter sweet day. It is time to return, but seeming so pointless to leave children and grandchildren behind.
FIRST ENCOUNTER
It is the first time Luc and Felix, 2 1/2 and 2 respectively have met since before they could walk. A re-union oragnized for our 40th wedding anniversary. Within minutes they were fast friends.
Our adventure this summer began on June 25th in Newport, 15 days driving across the country arriving in Los Angeles a month later driving to Sonoma.
The dinner last night in Sebastopol was the gift was hoped for.
On September 7 the America’s Cup action will resume.
BOY AND THE BLUE MOON
Tonight’s Moon is a Blue Moon. Wasn’t actually blue, but is was big and bright.
RAMBLINGS OF THE MIND
IT WAS A SPLENDID DAY. THE HUMIDITY MOVED OUT REPLACED BY SUN WIND AND DRY AIR. A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO WASH AND DRY; FOLLOWED BY SANDING AND PAINTING. ALL THE TIME WHILE THIS WAS GOING ON THE BAMBOO GREW 2 FEET. IF ONLY I HAD STARTED A CAMERA ON A TRIPOD WITH TIME LAPSE.
WHILE PAINTING I STARTED TO ASK MYSELF WHIC WERE THE BOOKS WHICH MOST IMPACTED ME. AS I STARTED COMPILING A LIST IN MY HEAD; I IMMEDIATELY STARTED LISTING THE AUTHORS I REALLY LIKED. THIS LIST GREW QUICKLY. FACED WITH THE PROSPECT OF CUTTING NAMES FROM THE LIST I COULD NOT SO I STOPPED AND CHANGED SUBJECTS.
I WILL LIST A FEW NONE THE LESS.
‘THE LAST LEAF” OLIVER WENDEL HOLMES
“THE MAN WITHOUT A COUNTRY” EDWARD EVERETT HALE
“LIVING WELL IS THE BEST REVENGE” CALVIN TOMPKINS
“WEST BY NIGHT” BERYL MARKHAM
“TRACES OF THOMAS HERIOT” MURIEL RUKEYSER
“MOBY DICK” HERMAN MELVILLE
MY PREDICAMENT IS OBVIOUS, WHAT ABOUT THOMAS WOLF, WILLIAM FALKNER, F. SCOTT FITZGERALD, ETC.?
MOTHER’S DAY
The sun came out for mother’s day. A flower farm seemed a perfect destination for this occasion.
LIKE MOTHER, LIKE GRANDFATHER
I am not in line at Best Buy or any other store. I have a little trouble with the logic of shopping in crowds and traffic. I am instead doing chores at home and working and shopping by computer; eating leftover turkey. I have had for many years the drawings from my grandfather and my mother and myself. I have not looked at them in years; having had the intention of scanning them for the future. It was one of those daunting tasks that is easily put off.
My grandfather’s drawings were done when he was working summers at Wood’s Hole, while at Harvard Medical School. My mother’s from Biology lab while at BU and mine while at URI.
It is clear that I did not share the same delicate hand as those who came before, even if in my mind I thought I did.
FELIX TURNS ONE AND KATSINAS
The collection of Katsinas on exhibit at the Autry Museum is in fact part of the collection from the museum of the SouthWest ( the oldest museum in Los Angeles) started by Charles Lummis, an almost Harvard graduate. I am always so glad that the past is preserved in places such as this. I marvel at the elegant creativity of humanity.
The afternoon was Felix’s birthday party. He will not remember it except through these photos, but then what are grandparents for? People stayed around after the party until children were really too tired. My daughter-in-law decided to see if she still fit in the outfit she had used to perform in New York City some years before Felix came along.
FELIX TURNS ONE ON FRIDAY
The main reason for our travel to California is to see our grandchildren and children. Luc will be 1 1/2 years our on the day of Felix’s first birthday. Like any grandparent our hearts go soft at the thought of these young boys. It is made easier by the fact that they are so good natured and happy. We will celebrate Felix’s first birthday on Friday along with a group of his friends.