This often happens when I go home: I want to tell you how good it is, and I can't. And I can't even show you all the good pictures, because I only took pictures of some of the good stuff. But trust me here: it was very, very good. Definitely reinforced the decision to move back.
It's funny the things we appreciate more with time and with timing. My uncle Phil has an extremely shady backyard, and after years of struggling trying to keep grass in it, he gave up and started a lovely and elaborate hosta garden. This was, however, the first time I'd seen the garden with anything in bloom.
It makes a bit of a difference, I would say.
He's also added some metal bug sculptures one of his friends does. I think they're fun and cool, and if you like them, I can get Uncle Phil to let me know where they're available.
In the week between my visits, different lilies had bloomed. I discovered a newfound appreciation for this kind of garden, especially when I was looking at houses with mature shade trees in their backyards and thinking, "I'll bet Uncle Phil would help us out with some plant choice here...."
This is Scott. He doesn't generally appear to have his own saintly glow. And for good reason.
Not pictured: Michelle. I took a picture of her that looked fine on the bitty digital camera screen, because the resolution isn't good enough to see when people's eyes are closed. I should have taken two, but she's not all that keen on having her picture done in the first place.
"Not all that keen" is a step up from "violently opposed," anyway.
And it'll be much easier to see (and photograph!) her/them when I live in the same general area as her parents. Visits! Wheee! I'm going to make canapes, is what. I'm going to wear a new black dress I got for my birthday and make canapes and maybe chili and quiver with excitement. We'll call it an open house or something. It'll be so good. People will come from miles around...mostly to see their parents, actually, but once they've come from miles around to see their parents, they might as well have my canapes. Right?
Of course right.
There were many Coopers in the vicinity, and Cooper cousins as well.
This is Erik and his mom Fondly. He was very much fun.
Ray, whose house that is, and Sean, Erik's brother. Ray is Timprov's father's cousin's husband. Everybody got that? Good. Sean is Erik's brother, also Timprov's cousin's son.
And here's Sandy (Timprov's aunt, Erik and Sean's grandma), Lee (Timprov's cousin, Erik and Sean's dad, Sandy's son), and Marcia (Timprov's dad's cousin, Ray's wife).
Maybe I should stop with the scorecards, but I think that's all the difficult ones, and now there's just:
Timprov with Cal (his dad), and:
Bobbie (Timprov's mom).