Hi Folks - it is a beautiful day in the neighborhood...
A lovely day - a frabjous day even! Okay - not sure why I'm so profoundly happy today. Like Scrooge at the end of the book - I'm as giddy as a school boy.
In part - there's the anticipation of seeing family tomorrow for the big party at the Lawyer/Carroll/McBee homestead in Berkeley Springs, WV.
Last year after my mother passed away one of my cousins suggested having a big get-together before we sold the homestead to celebrate again the many years (114 or so?) that our family has lived there.
So tomorrow I'll gather with my sister and brothers and nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, and cousins and friends to toast the happy memories. Maybe we'll shed a tear - but mostly we'll enjoy the stories that we've grown up with.
Lots more going on too. It is official that in October my friend Diana's former pastor and his wife will travel to Iona Island in Scotland to scatter some of Diana's ashes. Diana passed away in March.
I used up all my frequent flyer miles to book my flights. I arrive in Glasgow on October 5 and will attempt to drive a car to Iona and stay there two nights. Then on my birthday I will take the train to London. It seemed like a good idea at the time - but I'll get to visit with a friend from band who lives there now. Then back to DC on Friday and a concert on Saturday. Good thing I'm taking the following week off.
That will be a somewhat solemn trip - but one that will help in many ways.
Hope you have a good weekend too!
