Nothing makes me feel the passage of time so keenly as being around relatives I've known all my life, and seeing how they have changed over the years. Then suddenly I realize how much I have changed over the years.
As someone famous [I forget who] once said "It's not the years, it's the mileage."
Of course, those of us who adhere pretty closely to a standard of "clean living" tend to show less mileage. I quit smoking and drinking years ago, thank God, so now I can count myself in that club.
Anyway, the only time I have been to Chicago [outside of flying through there] was in 1973, when our family drove up there from Knoxville, to deposit my grandmother with her middle son and his family. Here's one of the cute photos that resulted: [ignore the black and white spots]
From left, cousin Bill, his twin sister Linda, Mamaw, me, and Bruce. Bill and Linda were 13, Bruce was 14, and I was 11. Mamaw was somewhere around 73, but she never told anyone her right age.
Bill and Linda came over yesterday and had lunch with us and we had a lovely visit.
Here are some photos from yesterday:
Bill, me, Linda. Looking at this makes me even more resolved to get a haircut...
Linda, Bill and Michael.
Bill was in town for a work conference. Linda lives about 45 minutes away, so we don't get to see her often.
Bruce came in later, and Colton came over and spent the night. So dinner was lively. We gave Bruce his birthday stuff. We watched the movie Act of Valor, about Navy Seals. Bruce usually hates military movies because they get all the details wrong, but that's a movie he had purchased, so I knew it would be good. He would stop it periodically and explain stuff to the boys. They were impressed, I know.
I changed the bandages on Mother's legs, and they are clearly better. Not 100% by any means, but better. Thanks be to God.
So it's been a busy but terrific weekend, so far..
