Last Saturday night my wife Anne's brother Ed and her sister in law Gwen hosted a birthday party in honor of their daughter Debbie's 51st birthday and Ed and Anne's mother Mary's 91st birthday (she is known to her great grandchildren as "Grandma Mimi")
It was a beautiful sunny evening and the turnout of family and friends was excellent, and with everyone staying throughout the evening.
In my mind there were four consequential events:
1) Listening to Debbie and her longtime love Stacy as both ladies were extremely happy discussing their upcoming December marriage and other important events in their lives. And Debbie amazes me in her ever growing compassionate and insightful observations of mankind.
2) Speaking with Gwen who for many years has kept herself in top physical condition and who at 70 appears to be 20 years younger. I've known her for nearly 50 years and never before tonight have I seen her have such self-confidence, that in the warmest way she took control of the party and had all of us doing what she wanted us to do.
And she and I reached an understanding. The two of us are always disciplined in our eating habits but we decided that we would be a little more flexible because life is brief and because we both workout and burn off calories and tonight I had some chocolate cake.
3) While Anne's and my grandsons Brody 8 and his little brother Gannon 5 were playing with another of our grandsons, Cameron 8, the kids got into a tussle and at Brody's direction, Gannon threw a soft bean bag that hit Cameron in the eye and he began to cry.
Seldom does Cameron get sympathy but this time he did as many people wanted to comfort him. His dad, our son Clayton arrived first on the scene and it was then Cameron angrily yelled it was the fault of "those two idiots," and in a heartbeat most of the sympathy for Cameron disappeared.
For what everyone could see was three cute little boys standing there and no-one wanted to hear two of them referred to as idiots, nor feel the wrath of Cameron's temper.
Our sons Kevin and Clayton brought the boys together and apologies were exchanged and the children all shook hands. Soon everyone was playing happily together again which pleased me very much.
4) As I learned today (8/23) our son Kyle for a time quietly left the party because his friend Jeff Milch, dying of cancer desperately wanted to see him and only with Kyle's assistance woulg he take his pain and relaxation medication. Kyle made about a 20 mile round trip on no notice to be with Jeff. Jeff died today.
Anne and I miss Jeff and the world feels a little colder without him. I'm proud of Kyle for taking the action he did.
Dick
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