lucktraveler57 2.0

 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...

 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. 

 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...

 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...