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Minneapolis 2026 - A Graduation and Family Time

 A graduation brought us together. Miraculously my nephews wife was able to secure tickets for the entire lot of us. The graduation ceremony was one of only a handful I've attended. Same goes with weddings, I haven't been to a lot of those either. The students were allowed to decorate their mortarboards, these they kept, the gowns had to be returned. Some wore stoles representing their heritage. Students performed, cheers and applause resounded as the graduates were recognized for specific achievements and as their names were called as they crossed the stage to receive their diplomas. We had another large family meal afterwards. To accommodate us they used a closed portion of the restaurant.  Our time together was drawing to a close. We ended up back at the Airbnb for our last moments. It is difficult ot get us together. my brother, sister in law, niece and her family live about a mile from one another in Washington state. My eldest nephew and his family live in Minneapolis, T...
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Minneapolis 2026 - Art Park

 The only non graduation related group activity was a visit to the Walker Sculpture Garden. It contains a number of significant works by Calder, Henry Moore and Louise Nevelson, among others. We came across a modestly scaled, oxidized metal example of Robert Indiana's LOVE sculpture sitting amidst the grass and colorful wildflowers. As we explored a large gaggle of multi generational geese walked past. Several of us remarked that we had never before seen so many different aged, from goslings to juveniles to adult, geese in a single group.  It was a day of gray skies and occasional rain. For the rest of the reunion we had experienced unseasonable warmth and sunshine. We swapped photos with 2 women in town for a wedding, and let the 3 year old run around and burn off some of his toddler energy before returning to the Airbnb. 
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Minneapolis 2026 - Cooking For The Masses

 We decided, as we were making dinner for the entire clan, 9 adults, 2 babies, that tacos would be an easy and efficient way to fill stomachs. My niece's husband and I commandeered the kitchen. At one point I had to take my sister in law by the shoulders and forcibly walk her back to the living room where the rest of the family was congregated while my nephew in law yelled " No girls allowed."  My nephew in law and I have worked together in the kitchen twice. Once at Thanksgiving and then that taco night. We are quite different, he tall, me short, I top out at 5'4' and change, he lives in and relishes a more rural environment, I'm a city boy who has asphalt in his veins, he works with his hands, I, before retirement, wore suits, ties and sold high end jewelry. He and his family live among birds, animals and woods, I among highrises, busses, cabs and the multifaceted sounds of the city.Yet, in the kitchen, we make a great team. He told me how much he enjoys bei...
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Minneapolis 2026 - A Child's Imagination

 My grandnephew, age 3, decided that he and I were going to embark on a monster and tiger hunt around the commodious Airbnb we were all staying in. "We're just pretending" in informed me in his adorable little boy voice as we descended the stairs to the lower level. We searched, him holding his finger up to his mouth and saying "ssh" to ensure my silence. Back at the top of the stairs he informed me that there was a tiger on the landing. We ran down a hallway to a utility room to hide from the ferocious beast. Eventually I convinced him that if he walked only on the border of the runner in the hallway he would be safe from monster and tiger attacks. One foot in front of the other he returned to the kitchen down the runner's border. I marveled at his innocence and imagination. The innate joy, the constant discovery, the lack of concern of the troubles of the adult world, money, politics, societal division, just living in the moment and exploring all the aspec...
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Minnesota 2026 - Family Time

 On Sunday much of the family went to a church service where the graduates would be lauded. I opted out. I always carry a concern that if I enter a religious space unexplained lightening will strike, perhaps followed by the majestic laughter of God as my past misdeeds are suitably punished. It's best not to tempt higher beings.  We reconvened for lunch at a restaurant in an area that contains a number of historic warehouses now repurposed as bars, eateries and I'm assuming housing or office space. It's always interesting to me to gaze at the brick and stone edifices with their arched entrances, architectural details, often in this case Romanesque, and feeling of solidity and gravity  and compare them to the buildings that, surrounded by vast, asphalt parking lots, pockmark the landscape in the modern era. These older buildings have the character, grace and beauty that is timeless and makes them suitable for repurposing. The contemporary buildings are designed strictly for...
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Minneapolis 2026 - A Purpose in Life

 I did it to myself really, suggesting to my nephews wife that she would have many hands on deck to help pull off the graduation party. Neighbors pitched in, one lent chairs, another a pavilion tent. All of this needed to be gathered and transported, meaning hand carried, to my nephew's back yard. Plus, broken down and returned after the festivities.  So, this is how I and several other family members found ourselves carrying tables and chairs down the block and attempting to figure out how to erect a pavilion tent on a hot, sunny 85 degree day. Then, later, folding up those tables, chairs and tent and transporting them, meaning hand carried, back to their respective owners in the waning hours of that same, hot, sunny 85 degree afternoon. It is a good thing I regularly visit the gym.  It's the type of thing you do for family, and, besides, I'm retired, at least for one day I had a purpose in life.
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Minneapolis 2026 - Experiencing Childhood

 Being a gay man, as well as for a number other reasons, I've never had kids of my own. I've relatively little experience with young children, let alone babies. On this trip I spent quite a bit of time with my grandniece, 6 months and grandnephew, 3 years. Observing them I began to ponder what life looks like through their eyes.  A tiny baby, emerging from a dark quiet environment into a world of light, color and sound. Trying to gain an understanding of what is safe and comforting from that which isn't. I watched as she recognized her parents and grandparents, my brother and sister in law and my niece and her family live about a mile from each other. I viewed first hand the innocence and complete dependance on others necessary during the first months of life.  The grandnephew, making connections, learning new things each minute yet still maintaining that innocence and dependence while striving to find a way to shed them and take greater charge of his young life. It must ...
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