Iris and Lenja

About a week ago, my college friends Iris and Lenja came to Mathews for a visit.

We met at UVA in August 1982, which astonishingly means we've been friends for over 35 years.

(Thirty five years?  How is that even possible?)

Lenja (pronounced Len'-ya, rhymes with Kenya) lives in Cambridge, England, 

and Iris lives in McLean, Virginia.

During their visit we went to Bethel Beach and later had lunch in the Court House at Southwind.

It was warm enough to sit outside.

It was a wonderful visit.  We're already planning our next reunion, which may include a hiking trip through Portugal--once I'm done with my chemotherapy treatments next year.

Speaking of chemo, it's going reasonably well.  I've had two treatments thus far (one every two weeks) representing one complete cycle.  I'll need five more cycles, meaning I should be done in April.  Aside from some exhaustion, I really can't complain at all.  My white blood cell counts are very low, though, which just means I am more prone to infections and have to take precautions.  I'm supposed to steer clear of crowds and sick people and wash my hands frequently. 

Staying away from crowds is thankfully not a problem here in Mathews. 

Not a problem at all.

I hope all is well in your world.

Queens Creek II

Here are more early morning shots from my back yard overlooking Queens Creek.

These were taken using the zoom.  This point is actually quite a ways from my house.

Well, Sister Susan and I survived the Nashville half marathon and thoroughly enjoyed spending time with our Soul Sister Lauren. Although we didn't turn in our best time, we also didn't turn in our worst. Considering I haven't run 13.1 miles since March 2015 and hadn't run more than six miles since then either, and also considering my insides were turned upside down quite literally in the car accident and subsequent surgery, well,...I'm not at all disappointed with my time.  It's all relative.

Speaking of relatives, we're spending Mother's Day over at Middle Sister's house.  She's fixing a great big feast, and all the rest of us have to do is show up.  That's my kind of festivity.  I'm excellent at showing up. It's one of the things I do best along with eating other people's cooking.

Speaking of other people's cooking, I am negligent in talking about reconnecting with someone I haven't seen since the 1980s.  He's in to aquaculture and grows his own oysters.  He also makes the best fried and roasted oysters I've ever had in my entire life. (And that includes my father's,) More on that in another post.

Last but not least, this weekend I had the privilege of hosting blog friends Meg and Angie at my house.  We thoroughly enjoyed our mini-reunion, which included a trip to Merroir, where Daughter has been working all weekend long.

Aside from nursing a dental problem, which has had me in a great deal of pain the past week, all in all life is great and things are going well.  There is a light at the end of the tunnel for Daughter, who is very excited about leaving for college this summer.  Son is taking his last exam of the semester this week and will be home for a short visit in a few weeks.  My favorite month of the year is here, things are green and the worst of the cold weather is behind us.

It's great to be alive.

Great and Grateful

This recent Queens Creek sunrise was not just great, it was glorious.  I only usually catch them, the sunrises, on my way out the door for work.  The sunsets have been equally spectacular, but since I face east and my westward-facing yard is full of trees, I rely on my local Facebook friends to post pictures of those.  Which is how I know they've been grand. The sunsets.

As usual, there is a lot to report but no time to do so.  On the heels of our neighbor's passing, there has been more sad news.  A Mathews family very near and dear to us is suffering the untimely loss of a son/grandson/nephew. It's heartbreaking.

Only two weeks sit between now and Daughter's return to her last year of high school.

It wasn't that long ago that we were dropping her off at preschool, where she never uttered a single word unless the teacher called on her.  These days, she's still quiet for the most part, unless she's asked a question.  Her favorite topics include her wonderful job at Merroir  or the latest and greatest with her friends.

I'm just grateful and honored to be her mother.

Very, very grateful.

Half a Century

L to R:  Old Fart from Mathews, Middle Sis from Georgia, Laurie from California, Lauren from Nashville, Angie from King and Queen, Baby Sis, and Meg from Maryland.

This weekend marked the first time in my life I've ever donned a fake mustache pink cowboy hat and boa, and it also marked the first time I've ever turned 50.

Baby Sis concocted a scheme that involved some very dear blog friends traveling from near and far to help ease my transition from nursing home to funeral home Forty Something to Officially 50.

Evidently, that transition has to include mustaches, because two people brought them.

A picture of all of us us wearing these--which I'd really rather forget-- exists on Facebook, sadly.
Certain Sisters find it absolutely hilarious. I'm hoping I get some sort of credit from the universe for indulging them. (I'm not counting on it, though. In fact, I expect to see that same photo blown up poster-size at every family event we ever have into perpetuity.)

I could explain the theme of the party, but it's a very long story.  If you google Winnebago Man, that would be a starting point. But only a starting point and not the focus of this post.  

Sisters, Parents and Daughter.  Son had already returned to college.
(Don't tell Baby Sis her eyes are--once again!--closed here.  It's payback for the mustache picture on Facebook.)

Eyes wide open.

I'd really love to know what we're all looking at here.  I honestly have no idea, but clearly someone was doing something.

Parents, Sisters and The Infamous Catherine

Parents, Sisters and Blog Sisters

Parents, Sisters and Dino--our adopted brother.  He's from Morocco.

Daddy and Me.
He turns 74 later in the month.

Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus.  And, yes, Virginia, CBW still has her Christmas tree up.
Dear Santa Claus, can you come back and drop off a few elves to help me with some chores? This is the off-season for y'all now, right? Thanks! I really appreciate it. P.S. Do they also do windows?

Middle Sis and her BFF from high school, Judy

Lauren from Nashville

Bud, Billy and Glenda 

Devan and my father

Alda, Larry and Lisa

Theresa and Teresa

I thank my family, especially my Baby Sis, for throwing together this semi-surprise of a celebration.  I am grateful to have friends and family, good health, and knees that didn't give out in all the dancing that took place.

(I might have hyper-extended one knee, though, and I think I sprained my pinky finger--don't ask-- but if that's the worst that happens at a 50th birthday celebration, I'll take it. Gladly.)

And now, post-Thanksgiving, post-Christmas, post-Son's surgery, post-New Year's Eve, and post-50th birthday, I look forward to life returning to normal.

Whatever that is.

Thankful

This Thanksgiving I'm thankful for everything.  (Yes, everything.)

I'm thankful for some of the obvious things, such as my family and their health, for a roof over my head, clothes on my back and food on the table.  For living in such a beautiful place.  For a back yard that overlooks the water.  For being able to complete a half marathon.  For friends.  For laughter.

But I'm also thankful for the very things I tend to complain about.  The brutal commute takes me to a job--which I also complain about--that pays my bills.  Mostly. The long drives to Daughter's sporting events mean that she is healthy enough and happy enough and doing well enough in school to play sports.  The blog which I haven't had time to properly focus on for several year now?  That has connected me to some of the most wonderful people I've ever met.  I'm even thankful for that NASTY EVIL feisty artificial Christmas tree which fights me each and every year.  When we come to some sort of an agreement and it's propped up in a corner finally standing all decorated in the corner, I know there will be quiet moments of joy spent with Son and Daughter reminiscing about this or that ornament.

(Oh no.  It's Christmas again? Didn't I just put that tree away?)

Anyway, I do complain about a lot of things in my life.  But I am able to stand back from all that and realize that I have it good.  Really good.  And I take nothing for granted anymore.  I'm grateful for everything.

Perhaps most of all, I'm grateful we're not spending this Thanksgiving at the Golden Corral. We've actually done that before.  It was, shall we say, an experience. No, thankfully, this year all I have to do is trot across the yard and sit down at my parents' dining room table with Son , Daughter and Baby Sis.  My mother will do the majority of the cooking.  (I'll ask if I can do anything and then will not question it when she tells me no.)  

So, I am also especially grateful for what is shaping up to be a relatively stress-free Thanksgiving.

To read about a previous Thanksgiving which wasn't so relaxing, necessarily, click here for the recap of Thanksgiving 2012

Thank you for reading and my very special thanks to those of you who read and comment regularly.

I'm very grateful.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving.

New York

After a successful Christmas, Santa Claus takes a break 
and presides over Little Italy in NYC

In spite of all outward appearances, this blog is not dead--and it is still about Mathews County, Virginia.

But.

Somewhere leading up to Christmas week its owner was so preoccupied with incoming family, preparations for Christmas, her mother's birthday (Happy Christmas Eve Birthday, Chesapeake Bay Mother!), the ardent desire to simply hibernate, and a whirlwind trip to New York City with her children...that...

...Well, she simply didn't have time to breathe, nor clean up the post-Christmas dinner dishes blog.

(The blog owner, having provided her excuses, will now shift to first person. The excuses, however, continue.)

Since I only returned home last evening, I still haven't had time to take pictures of Mathews and likely won't until later this week.

Therefore, we continue to interrupt this blog claiming to be about Mathews to glance at a Mathews County family's trip to New York, where I forced myself to use my iPhone camera by not bringing my regular camera.

These unedited pictures support my theory that I still have lots to learn with even the iPhone camera.

(I never learned how to use my regular camera either. Auto mode is all I know.)

Let's begin.

For three years now, I've gone to New York after Christmas to visit my blog friends Daryl and Kate (and Lauren, formerly of Connecticut, who is now in Tennessee - we missed her this year).

The past two years I've taken Son Sam and Daughter Maria, both of whom have a very deep love of the city.

Aside from the opportunity to see friends and spend time with my teens, my love of New York can be summarized as follows.

Exhibit A:  Zabars on Broadway, a complex, epicurean
wonderland cleverly disguised by an uncomplicated storefront.
Our hotel was within walking distance.  Be still my heart.
Mere words cannot describe what lies within that store. 

Exhibit B (related to A):  The omnipresence of food from all nations and cultures.
J'adore. I just love the options and endless possibilities.

Exhibit C:  Quirky statues spring up out of nowhere.

See?

Exhibit D:  Crazy-cool architecture

See?

Exhibit Whatever Letter We're On:  My two love the city.

(Statue of Liberty in the background.)
Son Sam wrote a college entrance essay on his love of this city,
and I was astounded at the depth of his expression.

I was also astounded at (and grateful for) his use of
the iPhone's GPS to do all of our navigation.

Here my two favorite humans stand in Little Italy, my favorite side trip this year.

Next time I want to save room on the itinerary
 and in my stomach for a dinner in this neighborhood.

Kate and Maria at Artie's Delicatessan at 83rd and Broadway.
This and Zabars are within walking distance of Daryl's apartment and
our hotel.  Given all the driving I do in real life, being able to
walk to these fabulous places on vacation was heavenly.
Absolutely heavenly.

Daryl is the best NYC friend and hostess on the planet.
She's exceedingly patient with and forgiving of blog friends
who are so full from days of overindulgence that they order eggplant soup
instead of a reuben at a New York deli.
(Thank you, Daryl!)
Daughter, on the other hand, had her first taste of matzo ball soup.

One day we walked clear from 80th Street to Seattle, WA
across the Brooklyn Bridge.

Daughter Maria and I, neither of us strangers to long distance walking or running,
were grateful for a reprieve on the other side of the bridge.

Sam (right) continues to admire the city view.

After hoofing it across the thousand-mile Brooklyn Bridge with every other
waking person within a 50-mile radius, Daughter wanted pizza.  So we obliged.
Click here and here to read the story about Juliana's .

The views on the Brooklyn side of the bridge were really spectacular.

Speaking of spectacular, this may have been my favorite scene of all,
from Saturday's jaunt on the High Line with Daryl and Kate.

This ad for a storage company reminds me why I moved from suburban DC to Mathews
when Son and Daughter were very young. I felt too crowded in the city.
Their rural foundation was unique; they had plenty of room to flourish.
But now they are ready to spread their wings and move on to new things.

If one or both decide on New York, I'll be thrilled.
Especially if regular Little Italy cannolis might be involved.
(And I am not really a sweets sort of person, but still.  Wow.)

We thoroughly enjoyed and exhausted ourselves but actually did plenty other than eat--in spite of my spin on events.  Friday we joined Kate for a tour of NBC studios that included visits to the Saturday Night Live, NBC Nightly News and Today Show sets.  That, along with all the food, along with getting lost in Brooklyn (in this neighborhood which was absolutely fascinating) were my favorite parts.

And of course seeing good friends.

And eating.

Did I mention the food?




p.s. Thanks, Daryl, for always being the perfect hostess.  And thanks, Kate, for joining us at the end of what's been a particularly tough year.  Thank you both for spending time with us.