Life of Wry

Breakfast of champions….

Lunch of champions…

And, our first departure. Chris and Pam were last to arrive (Wed) and first to leave (Fri). Here’s a nice just-about-to-part shot of Chris…

I will say this about Chris: Since mom started going downhill .. (heart surgery in 2009 and then 8 more years of pretty challenging health), Chris has been on the scene. He’s always been on the scene (if unconventionally and on his own terms), but he really stepped up and became ever present in those years. The importance of family really clicked in for him and we noticed, and appreciated it. He has become somewhat of a family spark plug, a Jay whisperer, someone who seems not to hold grudges and floats among all the difficult family members without the complicated burdens some of us can’t seem to shed. After mom died in 2017, he remained family-committed, in fact his urgency to be a regular part of the clan increased. He has become sort of the spokesperson for tradition, and upholding our parents’ legacy (a term he uses a lot with loads of sentimentality) now that they are both gone. He had his own health scare in 2020 with a heart attack (while surfing, of all things), which intensified his need for connection. Pam’s coming on the scene (I want to say sometime around 2019?) has formalized his role in the family. She is the consummate in-law (though they aren’t officially married just yet), ensuring that not only do they show up, but they do it with a hot dish (or two), a bottle of wine, flowers… and then help clean up. She has introduced social protocols to his world and I think he actually likes it.

I’m just amazed and grateful they agree to come all the way up here every year for Thanksgiving. He thanks ME for being the one to make it all happen. His toasts about us kids needing to hang together because that’s what mom and dad would want are from the heart and emotionally delivered.

And that’s what Thanksgiving and family should be all about, ya?

One more.. this one with Pam (I wonder if I’ve mentioned that they have been engaged since last Christmas?):