Sojourner - Traveling with the “Canman”

  Lynchburg, Virginia.  The place of marriage for my oldest son.  The first time all four of my children have gathered together in years. I was expecting Lynchburg to be a backwater, but was pleasantly surprised with what I experienced. The little turn-of-the-century downtown with classic front porches set in the hills above the James River exuded historic Americana.   But Lynchburg also has two of the most authentic Indian restaurants I've experienced outside India itself and a great jazzy pub.  Not bad for a dry county. You can ride the railroad to Lynchburg from Washington D.C. and I recommend you do especially in the fall.  For me a week of preparation with my son including yoga on the river and getting acquainted with the new family made this a very special time. As the ceremony progressed the scene from "Fiddler on the Roof" where they sang " Sunrise Sunset " came to mind. Take a listen.  

  Ah to be one again!  Why does no one disparage a 1-year-old for doing what she feels like? What freedom!  What joy!  Enjoy it while you can, my darling granddaughter.  Too soon instead of being, applauded and serenaded                                                                   and the princess in the castle, you will be expected to "toe the line." It was a reminder that life moves so swiftly. Best to grab the cake with both hands and live life to the fullest! 

My son's homemade Birthday Lemon Meringue Pie There is nothing better than celebrating a special birthday milestone with friends and family.   In this case four unforgettable celebrations.   The first one was in San Diego with my youngest son's family Birthday Lunch - Mexican Style in San Diego The second. A surprise  private outdoor concert at Press Cafe with Texas friends ranging from 30-somethings to 90-somethings. And the icing on the cake? A celebrity entertainer serenading me.  Who you ask?  My friend, the great  Ginny Mac .   The third - an exquisite dinner in Dallas at Cafe Madrid with Cocinella.  The fourth was the "pièce de résistance"   Reliving some of my cherished life's memories with my children and grandchildren on a special weekend in Nashville, Tennessee   Life is good.  Life is precious.  Birthday Dinner with a personal chef! 1953- A good year!

  Hell hath arrived in Texas!  It was time to beat the heat and visit family in San Diego.  It had been 16 months since I last visited to help support my daughter-in-law while my son (my "baby boy") was deployed in the Pacific as a Navy pilot only one month after adopting two teenagers from Mexico.  What a change in that time!  The kids spoke great English.  But what was most amazing was the lesson they gave me in living in the now with gusto!  School - acing it!  Surfing in the cool Pacific - Let's do it ALL Day.  Tennis - Bring it on.    And I got the relive my days playing guitar with my son while he fiddled away.  Now with a grandson who plays guitar and a granddaughter who rapidly learning the piano.  Fantastico!  Does it take coming from challenging circumstances to learn to live fully?  It doesn't have to. But to make that choice is inspiring. 

Aunt Lil 2022 At the conclusion of the family reunion, I headed up the northern California coast to Mendocino.  My aunt Lil (my dad's sister) passed on while I was in Italy just 4 days shy of her 96th birthday!   Gilda Lillian Drinkwater was a grand lady, way ahead of her time, and a role model for me throughout my youth.  She and her husband (my Uncle Homer) had several hundred acres they had purchased for peanuts in the 1940s.  I had spent much time there many summers and wanted to pay my respects to someone who for which I have great respect.  Aunt Lil's obituary is here Aunt Lil on her porch overlooking  the Laguna Ranch in 2019 Upon arriving, I booked a room in the iconic Mendocino Hotel on the Main street.  The Mendocino Hotel was established in 1878, during the Victorian era. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Mendocino was a thriving logging town. The hotel, in its prime location overlooking the Pacific Ocean, became a hub for...