Different lifestyle

When I was growing up nothing was more boring than family gatherings. As an adult I have not been a big family event person although I believe in marking the important points, weddings, graduations, funerals, births, of course. Being here, now, very close to Rachel who is far more a "family" person than I, clearly I'm going to be drawn into a more family oriented life. This is not a bad thing -- just different, an adjustment, not a difficult adjustment but worth noting.

Today is Mother's Day and Rachel had decided we should have a croquet afternoon in her backyard, we being her family, with Cori and husband Jason, and Joel, down from Boston -- but without Noah who had to work in the pizza place which he does on weekends. It was to be a high tea kind of event. So I made cucumber sandwiches and salmon [lox] sandwiches in proper triangles, and she made fruit salad and tea and had brownies. Best of all the weather cooperated wonderfully, it was sunny all day and warm -- breezy but the yard is somewhat sheltered. As my mother-in-law used to write in letters, copying it, of course, from society pages of small town newspapers, "A good time was had by all." Hackneyed vintage cliche, but we enjoyed the croquet game.

I remember playing croquet in the yard of the house we lived in until I was 10 and not after that. So it's fair to say I haven't played croquet for 60 years. I was not a star. But I don't take games very seriously and am never competitive -- except sometimes playing Scrabble. It was very nice to be in a secluded backyard with a group of people who are all related, with blossoming trees and plantings all around the edge. And to eat a lovely light meal and sit around and talk and also take pictures. Cori took the above picture with the automatic setting of her camera and then immediately emailed it to me. We all look happy although the guys are somewhat swalloed up by cheery tree blossoms. I look pretty happy entering a new phase of life -- in fact, it's good.