celebrating the present

I have just emerged from a three week period with various family members visiting. So wonderful.

Granddaughter Kira arrived with our great grandson Dante (3 1/2 years old) -- he's the guy in the BIG Mexican hat above...

Kira was 3 1/2 when she first visited New Mexico and stayed with us every summer for a few weeks until she was a teen. It was such a trip to have him here -- she unearthed her old toys (still stored in the box we put them in 10 years ago -- a bit dusty but serviceable) and he played with them (even Barbie)! Whew! talk about deja vu!

Brigadoon
One day we drove up to Victory Alpaca Ranch in Mora (the place I once called Brigadoon -- so remote-feeling and unchanged), through gorgeous mountain roads and areas where, since I moved here I've wished I was a geologist -- I want to know what those dramatic striations represent (next life maybe) and we arrived in time to feed the alpacas. I'd also promised myself to visit the ranch several times (usually around Wool Festival time in October), but never made it, so I was as psyched as Dante. He is a precocious child who knows a lot about every animal and was terribly excited to see actual alpacas. We arrived, waited in the registration/yarn shop area until the guide came for us. His mother and I talked about his affinity for animals and speculated that he might be a veterinarian someday. As soon as we stepped through the gate with cups of feed in our hands, about fifty or more alpacas started moving toward us like a high tide. Dante freaked out (so did I), dropped his cup and yelled, "I want to look at yarn!" Now how's that for a knitter's great grandson? I scooped him up and we headed for the exit and I said to his mother, who stayed on for awhile, forget the veterinarian idea!

Once in the yarn shop he happily touched the soft yarns and items made from it, commented on each and every color and feel and seemed to have no regrets that the "mean" alpacas had so surprised him. His mother admitted that among the gentle alpacas there was one white one who bared its teeth and looked mean. I think it was the one she later took a selfie with...he seems to be smiling...doesn't look mean at all...

While she was here, she totally reorganized my kitchen and helped me declutter. Now that she's gone, although I can't seem to find anything, all I have to do is channel her and it guides me to what I'm looking for. I'm grateful for her youthful energy and caring. Both visits perked Ron up considerably and we were all pleased that his oncologists reported, after tests earlier this month, that they are encouraged.

This was my birthday month and even at my advanced age, I consider birthday months special and celebratory. This one was. Kira and Dante went horseback riding and prior to that, the neighbors' horses showed up -- all much to the delight of my city-dwelling family.

"If I knew that this would be the last time I hear your voice, I'd take hold of each word to be able to hear it over and over again. If I knew this is the last time I see you, I'd tell you I love you, and would not just assume foolishly you know it already."
     Gabrial Garcia Marquez