“The guests are met, the feast is set. May’st hear the merry din.” (-Coleridge)

We had some good friends visiting from this past weekend through today. They lived for a while in NC, but now they come from New York state, so we don’t see them that often, and it’s always fun to have them here. We keep trying to entice them to move here again, "for good."

Flowers came out, the food is gone, and the gifts from Christmas were fun to open. It’s great to celebrate Christmas after the big holiday’s already gone. We do this every year…

Games were played. ..

And it’s always sad to see them go….

“We dare not trust our wit for making our house pleasant to our friend, so we buy ice cream.” (-Ralph Waldo Emerson)

(Trust me—it works!)

"Other things may change us, but we start and end with family." (-Anthony Brandt)

This past weekend, I went up to Cambridge, Massachusetts to visit my son. His wife was traveling, so I didn’t get to see her, but as always, it was really pleasant to spend a few days with Eric. They live in a high rise that looks out over a verdant urban park, which pleases me to know that he has at least some semblance of Nature close by!

When we talked a few weeks ago, and I said that I would come up to visit, he said that he was going to make dinner reservations, so I asked him not to go to any special trouble for my visit.

His sarcastic reply, typical of Eric, was:

“OK, well, right--we may water you, and we might let you out for some sunshine, but you’re right—we probably won’t plan on feeding you.”

(You would think that after 31 years, I would have anticipated such a reply.)

When I arrived, on my bed was a sweet card from his wife, a book about Boston, and this elegant box of chocolates to welcome me. Last year when I visited, he and I walked all over: to the Public Gardens in Boston, through Newberry St and all around town. We also spent a day at the DeCordova museum and sculpture gardens, which was right up my alley.

This visit, we had wonderful meals, ate outdoors, went to a creative, artsy shop that he knew I would enjoy, and just talked and relaxed. He watched as I tried, (and failed,) several times, to sketch my gift, but he offered encouragement as he always does.

And as usual, when he dropped me off at the airport, I welled up—I happen to be extremely sentimental when it comes to Eric. I will hear from him often in emails and phone calls, but I won’t see him again for some time, with my wacky work schedule, so I’ll cherish each visit and remember it with fondness.

“You don’t really understand human nature unless you know why a child on a merry-go-round will wave at his parents every time around—and why his parents will always wave back.” (-William D Tammeus)