Home Again

This little guy sat next to me at the graduation ceremony.  He was very well behaved.  

Rachel holding her hat in the wind.

The Graduation party at Rachel's Dad's house. Gail with wine glass

Sunflower centerpieces on the tables.  Millie would love these.

Rachel is so happy it's over.

Gail cuts the cake

Mark drove up for the ceremony

Mark is leaving.  Sigh!

A tree in front of Gail's house.  What is it?  Anyone?

I left you in rather a hurry and with a mysterious crisis looming.  I do apologize and will now try to give you an explanation.

My daughter was working for a small company as an office manager.  Her employers  business ethics were right out of a Charles Dickens novel.  The situation had become so intolerable that Gail fell apart.  It was time for some Mom therapy and a broad shoulder.   Because I had reservations to go later I asked her if she wanted me to come earlier.  She replied in the affirmative and I knew she was in trouble, because she has always told me 'no' when I had offered in the past.   She had a melt-down in front of the girls and I knew they all needed to decompress.

I did what I could to help.  One never knows how much good one does in these circumstances, but I do think it was important for me to be there.  However, the crisis was still raging when I had to come home.  My daughter has never cried before when we parted, but she did this time.  Twice.  It was so painful leaving her like that.  The next day she got fired.  She was not fired for 'cause' but because the company was restructuring their office and she will probably be replaced with a bookkeeping service.  The good news is that she will be able to draw workman's comensation as she seeks new employment.  

Now to the update on the trip.  Because the first reason for the trip was my granddaughter, Rachel's graduation I did attend that happy event.  It was great to see the young happy faces, but the weather did not cooperate and it was brutally cold with a stiff wind blowing out of Alaska.  It was hard to believe that it was June.  The stadium was packed and I am sure I had lots of company as I suffered with inadequate clothing for a winter day in June.  I felt sorry for the young girls in hot pants and bare midriffs as they shivered with goose bumps blossoming on their exposed skin.  Didn't they go outside before dressing so skimpily?   I know, I sound like an old fuddy-duddy, but dressing appropriately for the weather is just good sense.  

The pictures tell the story of graduation day.  I know you have probably attended so many of these events that it's old hat.  Only the colors of the caps and gowns change, but the happy faces of the 'grads' remain the same. The relief shared by the parents it pretty universal, too.  Next comes college.  

Other things that happened on my trip:

Because I had to change my departure reservations (at no small cost, I might add), I was stuck with whatever flight was available.  I had to change planes in Las Vegas where the slots go Ka-ching night and day.  A three hour layover became a four hour layover as I sat in the uncomfortable wheel chair.

The only thing of note on my return flight was going through security.  I had the full body scan and was wondering why I heard laughter.  They probably thought my spare tire was a bomb.

I turned 86 years old while I was there.  My daughter took me out to dinner to celebrate.  She told the waiter that it was my 86th birthday.  It seems they have some sort of recognition for the oldest person who celebrates a birthday on that day.  He came back and told me I was not the oldest one to celebrate her birtday on that day.   A 90 year old woman beat me to it.  I decided to be glad instead of mad because someone really was older than me.

The second week my oldest daughter, Lynne, drove down from Napa to take me to lunch.  The birthday that just kept giving.

My daughter tells me that Hans, the German Shepherd dog, is still grieving since I left.  I was his buddy while Gail was at work and the girls were at school.  Now who will take the time to throw his ball or scratch his ears?  

Thanks to everyone for their kind remarks about my trip and for wishing me the best.  It means more than you will ever know.  I deeply appreciate my blogging friends and feel like I know each and everyone of you.  Mucho gracias for caring.

I will gradually catch up on your blogs.  I have read many of them, but didn't have the time to comment.  I hope to rectify that in the days to come.  Doctor appointments that were delayed must now be attended to so it will be slow going for me to get up to speed.  Please bear with me.