LIVING DREAMS

Christmas in my family has gone through some funny and unusual moments. When I was younger it seemed to go forever and be joyous and special, or at least I thought so then. Having my grandparents there leading the way kept all the chirping to a low roar, I guess. Strange how that changes when they pass on... but so sweet how in some ways it stays the same. This year we all flew to the parent's house in lovely Port Townsend, WA -- three siblings, three significant others, four grandchildren, with a cousin, pregnant wife & daughter along to make it really cozy, all in one house. The flight was quick and peaceful, and we got a beautiful view of Mount Rainier, which sits at 14,410 feet, and is the most prominent peak in the Cascade Range. I was happy to hold and play with Lola for the ride. I'm grateful that my brother's little twins are such happy, peaceful travelers. Curiosity is a good thing... sometimes at least. Every family has its own traditions, and I'm su

Staying in the theme of my blog, I'm determined to reconnect with myself -- which means reaching out to my friends, my past, and the things I love and want to do. So instead of spending the beloved turkey day with my brother (who is an awesome chef), his wife, his kids and his in-laws, I drove 3+ hours to Merced and spent the holiday on a 10,000 acre cattle ranch owned by the lovely Allison & Chris, which included the sister, parents and in-laws of my great old friend Gordo. Yes, I spent it with the Myers family, hiking around, sleeping in my sleeping bag and talking shop and politics with new friends (or, put more appropriately, strangers). It was special, and I was so happy to see Gordo in good spirits with a nice creative woman by his side. And of course his family was just as I remembered them -- kind, outgoing, warm and great fun. A good conversation with anyone was a chair away. But to me what was even better was the fact that we could all just relax together. I l