Busy, Busy Weekend

Grandpa's Birthday Cake (custom-made at Town & Country Thriftway,
 on Bainbridge Island)

We had a busy, busy weekend!

On Thursday, Smiley Girl (a.k.a. Laura of Live Happy) brought seven of her dear relatives over to our side of the Sound. I met them at the ferry, and took a few of the party in my car as we made our way to my town. We had a delicious lunch at Paella Bar, followed by some shopping in downtown Poulsbo. Then we made a quick trip to see the "YaYa House" (where author Rebecca Wells used to live, on our street) and a stop by our house for a visit with Gregg, before they set out for the ferry trip back to the city. I love Laura, and her family is just as warm, fun and friendly as she is - it was such fun to spend the afternoon with them and show them around our little town.

Early on Friday morning, I had a telephone meeting with a consultant from CreateSpace, Amazon.com's self-publishing area. Together, we outlined the next steps in moving my book from manuscript form to a listing on www.amazon.com! But before that happens, a few important things deserve attention, and so our weekend was busy - and fun.

First, I had a lunch date with my dad. We went to the bookstore after lunch, and then to Mora's local ice cream shop, where we sat on a bench in the sun and chatted as we enjoyed our cones. After that, I took Dad home, and Andrea and her beautiful dog, Sam, arrived to stay at our house on Friday night.

Saturday, we hosted Gregg's dad's 90th birthday party here. Andrea and Mike were our co-hosts, and they were fabulous at it.

My dad, BIL Charlie and nephew Mike

Joni, Andrea and her mom, SIL Cheri

Grandma Elaine and cousin Sue

Mike, Katy, Megan, Gregg, Rob, Zoie, Julie, Andrea, Mike, Hollie, Joey & Shannon (in-laws, nieces, nephews, great-great niece, etc.!)

Niece Robin, SIL Linda, nephew Joey & his girlfriend Shannon

Nephews Jim & Joey paddled over to our house from Bainbridge Island on Jim & Joni's paddle boards - quite a feat!
This is David, giving the board a try.

Nephews Jim & Joey, Joey's girlfriend Shannon, Jim's girlfriend Joni, & niece Marcy

We had more than 30 family members here to celebrate Grandpa Ed's 90 years of life. The party started at 2:00 in the afternoon, and ended around midnight, with a beach fire and roasted marshmallows. As I walked down the torch-lit path to the beach, I felt a surge of gratitude.

David & cousin Julie

Cousin Martin & my mom

My dad, SIL Joan, BIL Jim & great-nephew Bobby

Grandpa Ed, BIL Bill & newphew Brant

Sitting down on the bulkhead, listening to the waves lap on the beach, watching the moon rise, and seeing the stars reflected in the still water made me happy - and thankful - to live in such a place, and be able to share with our relatives. Chatting and laughing with David, Gregg, our nieces and nephews late into the night was a gift. I love our big, extended family.

SIL Linda, BIL Bill, niece Marcy & her husband, Wil, great-niece Lindsay, in-law Mike

Grandpa Ed and Grandma Elaine, just before cutting the cake

On Sunday morning, we cleaned up and said goodbye to Andrea, Mike and Sam, took a walk, and then dressed to go pick up my parents for a treat. Part of our anniversary gift to them was an Argosy Cruise to Tillicum Village on Blake Island, with Charlotte. We had all been looking forward to it, and it lived up to our expectations - and exceeded them.

Mom, Gregg, Charlotte, Dad, me and David.
Argosy always takes a photo before you board the boat.

Tillicum Village is Argosy's longhouse on Blake Island, commemorating and celebrating the Coast Salish Native American culture. After a 45-minute cruise from Seattle to the island, there is a shaman's presentation, with stories from the old days, traditional dancing and dinner (clams in broth, smoked salmon, venison stew, berry cobbler dessert, etc.) and time to walk around and enjoy the beauty of the setting. Blake Island is a state park with a small marina, trails, campsites and picnic areas.

The sun was going down behond the Olympic Mountains as we rode in the boat back to Seattle. It was a treat, and especially fun for us, as this is the place where David has worked for the past three summers. We enjoy meeting his co-workers and admiring what they do.

Watching the traditional way of smoking salmon (before we ate it).

Speaking of Charlotte, the generosity of her naming Katie's endowment in her husband Fred's memorial notice continues to touch people. Five more donations have been received this month!

Today, David and I caught the ferry back to Seattle to do some school-clothes shopping. We made the rounds of Nordstrom's Rack, Banana Republic, Nordstrom, GAP, Old Navy, NikeTown and Brooks Brothers, with a stop for lunch at Nordstrom's Grill. There were lots of things from which to choose (and good sale prices). Wowza - the guy can shop, and he has good taste! I'm tired, and off to bed now - sweet dreams to you...

From East Coast Karen

This morning's devotional said: "The Wisdom of Solomon tells us that 'love is stronger than death' (Song of Songs 8:6)." This poem states it in a different way:

"Death is nothing at all.
I have only slipped away into the next room.
I am I and you are you,
Whatever we were to each other, that we still are.
Call me by my old familiar name,
Speak to me in the easy way which you always used.
Put no difference in your tone,
wear no forced air of solemnity or sorrow,
laugh as we always laughed
at the little jokes we enjoyed together.
Pray smile, think of me, pray for me.
Let my name be ever the household word
that it always was.
Let it be spoken without effort,
without the trace of a shadow in it.
Life means all that it ever meant,
it is the same as it ever was.
There is unbroken continuity,
why should I be out of mind
because I am out of sight?
I am waiting for you
somewhere very near
just around the corner.
All is well." - Christina Georgina Rossetti 1830 - 1894

My friend, "Karen East," of From Paradise to Plan B , posted the poem above for one of her friends. It is so beautiful, and speaks so deeply to me of what I believe is the intention (or voice) of our beloved ones who have gone before us, that I had to share it here. Thank you & much love to you, Karen!

On the bow of DA BOATA, staff & campers catch french fries thrown from friends and fans who are at Red Robin, on the pier.

Today is "National Cancer Sucks Day," which (of course) coincides with the Camp Goodtimes cruise, also known as "DA BOATA." David and I will be helping on board, assisting with arts, crafts and wherever an extra pair of hands is needed by the campers, all of whom are cancer patients, former cancer patients, and their siblings. It's going to be a day of fun, silliness, friendship and JOY. There will be music, dancing, singing, a buffet lunch, french-fry throwing & catching, and all kinds of general craziness.

Cancer sucks...but it doesn't have to spoil everyone's fun, and Camp Goodtimes is a place to see that fact in action. As the song says, "Celebrate good times - come on!"

David Got a Job!

David has been offered a summer job with Argosy Cruises! I can't quite put into words how happy I am about this.
I have been praying, "Thy will be done" while waiting for the answer, after his interview!

Argosy is a great company. They donate two cruises every summer to Camp Goodtimes, and that is just part of their generosity. If you go to their website, you can read about their corporate culture and history; it's interesting, and their values are excellent. We had the pleasure of meeting the owners at the Camp Goodtimes benefit in March, and they are a kind, caring and sincere couple.

It's so important to learn about the working world when we are young. David has been exposed to many wonderful, beautiful "things" (and experiences) of this world, and it is vital that he experience what it costs to earn the money for them. I think we choose differently, once we realize how many hours of our time will be needed to purchase an item that we desire. I keep telling him, You will pay for what you buy with your time, which is really your life. That's why it's so essential to listen deeply about what you are called to do. I didn't learn this in my education; I'm still working on it, and I want David to know better than I did.

Working for money raises a lot of conflicting feelings within me, because of my background and temperament. I worked for my dad's company when I was David's age, and during vacations from college; I worked there again later, after I was married. It's different to apply for a job with your dad, than it is with strangers. We were given mixed messages at home regarding women in the workforce. This was 30+ years ago, and the women in my family did not work for money; I did not expect to need to work for money, but it turned out to be necessary. I had a lot of anxiety around that, applying for my first job after graduating from college. I made a poor choice (the job was a terrible fit for me), and then I repeated that cycle many, many times, eventually finding work that I liked - but never work that I loved - until I became a full-time homemaker, nine years ago.
I WASN'T PREPARED.

This is one of the things that I want to be different for David: I want him to be prepared, to expect to work, and to be so accustomed to seeking, getting and having a job, that he doesn't worry about it. But I also want him to love what he chooses to do, so that his life will be fulfilling. Having a lot of money isn't so important when you are happy with your daily life.

You can see that I may be projecting some of my unfinished business onto him; I can see it, too, and I told him openly that this might be the case. It doesn't mean that this is a bad idea for him. We just need to be clear about our boundaries: what is my inner work, and what is his work, are not necessarily the same.

Today, I am truly, deeply thankful for this opportunity for David to join a wonderful company, and give them his time and energy, as they teach him valuable lessons.
Above is a photo of an Argosy "Christmas Ship," on which we cruised in December, 2007.