High Holy Holiday

I don't have anything profound to say about Old Home Weekend. I love my family. And by family, I mean all of the people who came to camp to celebrate being together and alive this weekend. They are all kind and generous people. Really, what more could anyone ask for?

This is our annual group photo in the middle of the road while we wait for the parade to come back. We always ask a stranger to be in the photo. Can you find the stranger?












Sally-ann asked a brass band on a float to play "happy birthday" for Gram and Riley. Here are the birthday girls enjoying their shared moment. Each of them are proud to share their birthday with the other. Damn, they are so cute.
















It's been a while since Joe has had a kid on his shoulders, but it's a look that still works for him. Faith took right to all her new aunts, uncles and cousins. I love them.






















I love this picture of Brook laughing. Pure joy. Isn't she beautiful?














Here's a picture of the five siblings, Grammie and Champ's kids; my mom, two aunts and two uncles.















Deb has taken this picture of Kali and Shani for years. Maybe I'll do a posting some day of the whole series, if she can share them all with me electronically. Even though these two brothers couldn't be more different from each other, they have one thing very much in common: they are both amazingly talented and artistic. They're actually brilliant. Probably because Neil and I lived with them for three of their infant/toddler years!




















Auntie Sally canoeing with Nina and Monica Jane. It was my step-sister Raina's kids (Monica and Sammi) first old home. They loved it. I overheard Sammi telling my mom she wanted to come back next year...yay!






Oh my god...Nina.















Karen and Bryan make beautiful children.

















Auntie Rae didn't want to share baby Shea. Shea might be the cutest baby in the world. Ever.















Patrick was psyched to march in the parade. My mom actually called me from parade headquarters to make sure it was okay that he carry a military sign. American flags were also passed out. Our ultra-patriotic, nationalistic family was impressed.
(An aside, just so we don't forget: On Sunday we had a memorial gathering in recognition of the 5th anniversary of my gram's late husband's passing. 40-50 of us, family, friends, neighbors, gathered in a circle around Poppa Dick's tree to share our memories. Patrick asked to share and said this: "I used to stand and watch while Poppa made puzzles. Now, when I make a puzzle, I think of him." It was perfect, succinct, thoughtful, appropriate and completely unplanned. I noticed I wasn't the only one who teared up at that moment. I am awfully proud of that boy and feel so lucky to be his momma.)
Jen and Terri on the Scully's lawn.















Henekis and I are trying to recruit our friend Carolyn into the Stoddard Tribe, so we roped her into coming to Old Home with her cute-as-two-buttons daughters, Sarah and Pheobe. Here she is demonstrating for my mom how she holds me like a baby. My mom had heard about this parlor game of ours, but had never seen it. She loved it! It really tickled her, which made it all the more fun. In fact, I can't think of anything BETTER in life than making my mom giggle like that.














Once people saw how cozy and lovey it is to be held like a baby, Carolyn had her work cut out for her.

Um, Alan...why are you so creepy?














And now for some ubiquitous, late-night self-portraits down by the lake.


Here's one of David A. and me right before I alienated him by picking a socio-political argument. I'm not always so good with teenagers.















Love you Auntie Rae!















My cousin Jeremy is a pretty funny guy. And he drove all the way from Albany (and all by himself) to be with us.














Tommy was awfully quiet this weekend. He's been working really hard and I worry about him. Maybe just because I'm lazy and don't want anyone I love working too hard. But that didn't stop him from cooking for us. He made the biggest pot of masaman curry you've ever seen (in a beautiful copper pot) and sticky rice. Delicious; it really was to die for. He also made a wild blueberry cobbler and some other fabulous eats. Food is love.