Christmas with James 2022

 

The last week in December is full of anniversaries/births, not the least of which is the sixth birthday of the amazing James (December 16) and His mom, Allison (12/18), his uncle Perry (12/30), and the baby Jesus (12/25). My parents were married on December 19 in 1942 (80 years ago). So it was with pleasure that I accepted the invitation to camp out for the week in Ocean, New Jersey.

The week included an amazing dinner, on Christmas Eve (Saturday), hosted by Allison that included Grandmother Toby (The Matriarch); Aunt Randy (you can’t bee too rich or too thin); Cousin Perry and wife Autumn and kids Samson and Marlow and her mom Virginia and husband Greg; and Allison’s mom Jean and brother Ryan. That’s 14 if you’re counting. I could be missing someone who joined us during all or part of the festivities.

James and his dad were good enough to greet me at the Newark airport the morning of Christmas Eve. The short walk to Ben’s BMW nearly froze James’ digits but in spite record low temperatures below freezing, my flight only suffered ground delays related to de-icing and managing the gates.

Christmas Morning (12/25) James was careful to locate gifts under two trees: The real one has the family inventory. The other, had gifts for and from a variety of friends and relatives. Monday (12/26) was largely designed to recover in the comfort of building a race track, pretending to be making and delivering pizza, watching Spidey and Friends for Kids and making sure James focused on intermittent mealtime occasions.

Tuesday (12/27) meant a trip to Philly to drop Ryan off at the airport. An ideal opportunity for Papa Wes to wedge in a visit to the Philadelphia Museum of Art. James was not interested in lingering in gallery after gallery of amazing art by the likes of Picasso, Cezanne, Van Gogh or even the early sixteenth century man and horse armor in the gallery space just past the golden Diana atop the staircase by Augustus Saint Gaudens (1848-1907). Diana once lived on top of the original Madison Square Garden in NYC and now she's in Philly.

Wednesday (12/28) the temperatures finally warmed enough to make a trip to Shark River Park to enjoy a chilly but sunny swing set and open field games of catch with Ben and Perry and kids James, Samson and Marlow. Ben was good enough to indulge me in a visit to Lynn’s grave in Neptune. (Lynn’s final resting place continues to be adorned with colored rocks, paper flowers and now holiday garland.) I’m not gonna lie, seeing her grave next to Papa Sam and in this setting causes me to well up with emotion. Ben was the perfect person to be there for me at that very point in time, just 309 days after her passing peacefully in her sleep in Saint Louis. 

The Matriarch hosted a diner out with her helper Izzy at a local restaurant (were I enjoyed the amazing fish entrée along with a dirty martini). Allison helped Toby calculate the appropriate tip and James earned considerable praise for his good behavior during the meal for seven of us (Toby, Izzy, Jean, Ben, James, Allison, Papa Wes).

Thursday (12/29) found us at the Asbury Park Boardwalk and an afternoon fun meal at the Robinson Ale House in Red Bank, New Jersey (the home of Jay and Silent Bob) and the YESTER-arcade where James was able to sample the throw-back arcade game experience as if the Pinball Wizard never happened.   

Friday Arrived with a tentative plan for Papa Wes to scope out two Rothko paintings in gallery 919 at the Met before being shuttled to Newark Airport. The projected behavior patterns of the six year old and Allison’s ability to open the discussion to options resulted in a new plan that allowed Jean to cover James while Wes, Ben and Allison cruised via ferry boat ride from Atlantic Highlands, NJ to midtown Manhatton. We passed the Statue of Liberty and moved under the Brooklyn Bridge. After exiting the ferry, we power-walked with views of the Empire State Building, The Chysler Building and “Skyscraper National Park” to 18^th Street eatery Friend of a Farmer (across the street from one of my old haunts, Pete’s Tavern). Papa Wes’ art junky craving was more than satisfied as we made our way to the Whitney Museum of American Art overlooking the West Side. The Whitney Museum of American Art collection was a treat that included a Calder Mobile, Louis Nevelson, Jasper Johns, Marsden Hartley and Early Twentieth Century Modernism. We were running out of time but as we were about to depart the famous Dempsey vs. Firpo painting by George Wesley Bellows looking at us squarely and adjacent to a Thomas Hart Benton (as if to represent for me both Ohio and Missouri).   

My travel experience from Pennsylvania Station to Newark Airport and subsequent gate changes and holiday chaos was a perfect way to end the New Jersey excursion. So much fun.

  

 

 

Images: Marcel Duchamp's Nude Decending a Staircase at Philadelphia Museum of Art. James with Cups, Man and Horse Armor from 1507 at Philadelphia Museum of Art, Allison and Ben with James at YESTER-arcade in Red Bank, NJ, Painting of Firpo vs Dempsey by George Wesley Bellows at Philadelphia Museum of Art, Picasso's Three Musicians at Philadelphia Museum of Art, Ben's "Life doesn not have to be Perfect" canvas from his home office. Below: Jasper Johns Flags at Whitney Museum of Amerian Art.

Old North and Dave's Tiny Desk

 

One of my friends named Dave owns and operates a business exporting foods internationally. His wife Linda is celebrating her birthday in a most understated way as the Old North neighborhood is celebrating the holiday season. Santa is having his picture taken with kids and the beginning of Winter in Saint Louis is upon us. (Before I forget again --- I want to say Happy Birthday to Linda.)

Dave has orchestrated a Tiny Desk series of musical performances in his office space on 14^th Street, just a few blocks from Crown Candy and across the street from Central Print.

Marie Oberkirsch at Central Print was kind enough to run a press proof of my granfather’s book plate from an 80 years old letter press plate I had hangin on a wall in my apartment. The plate will be a Christmas gift for my son who shares my grandfather’s name – John Benjamin Morgan.   (John Benjamin Morgan,1887-1943 was born in Kinmundy, Illinois and went to medical school at Saint Louis University and was a doctor in Cleveland.)

The Tiny Desk Concert line up includes an opening act of Walter Greiner with Paul Niehaus IV. Greiner is a fan of Mark Twain and Civil War era. He himself has the appearance of being from a time in American before my grandfather was born. Paul Niehaus IV has a Leon Redbone vibe with a musical diversity moving from instrument to instrument. The balance of the day features Blues from Benbow City Shuffle, Noddin’ Dave’s OMG (Original Music Group) and Barefoot Jones (another ensemble of Dave’s bandmates).

The 5+ hours of music and periodic visits from visitors to Old North added up to a beautiful day. It was a day full of private emotion for me. Inexplicable except for maybe a few lines that come to me partially plagiarized and partially heartfelt on this chilly December 17, 2022.

I should be at an all time low, but instead I’m full of hope.

The blues ain’t nothing but a botheration on your mind;

Truth in the words at a tiny desk I find.

Saturday reflection helps me unwind.

Junk food to the Chinese;

Listening to music as we please.

Drum from Tanzania (rhymes with Lasagna);

Big Foot Boogie and good on ya.

Betwixt the Stars and the Moon I dream she loves me too;

If you go down to Deep Ellum, you better put your money in your shoes.

Sidewalk sale, two for a dollar on the tag.

Chasing rewards in the wind. Fighting a way out of a paper bag

Thought she was loving me but she was leaving all the time.

Make me an angel that flies from Montgomery
Make me a poster of an old rodeo. Just give me one thing that I can hold on to

To believe in this livin' is just a hard way to go

It's a wonderful life and teacher says:Whenever a bell rings an angel gets her wings.

I am grateful and hopeful for joy and times ahead. Thank you. 

Rise up and wipe the cobwebs from your eyes. 

Tampa Thanksgiving

 

By: Michael Paluska

Posted at 3:47 PM, Nov 23, 2022 and last updated 5:15 PM, Nov 23, 2022

TAMPA, Fla. — Thanksgiving is more than just a day to pig out on turkey. It is the start of the holiday season and millions of reunions of friends and family members at airports across the country.

At Tampa International Airport, right outside Terminal C, we watched a never-ending sea of travelers greet their loved ones with open arms.

We watched a grandma hug her granddaughter, parents reunite with their children, and friends that hadn't seen one another in years embrace like no one was watching.

"I'm really thankful I can travel and have a nice meal under a nice house on Thanksgiving," Dissaya Lorimer told ABC Action News reporter Michael Paluska. Lorimer, 15, flew in with her parents from Dallas.

"Is it fun to travel with your parents?" Paluska asked.

"Yeah... I can't wait for the day I don't have to travel with them," she said with a laugh, "but it's nice."

Then came another plane, another round of passengers. This time the special reunion was with a man named Wesley Morgan, flying in to enjoy Thanksgiving with his daughter Lindsey Dewey and six-year-old grandson. But, this Thanksgiving, Morgan's wife won't be at the table. She died earlier this year.

"How great is it to come in and honor your wife's (Lynn) memory?" Paluska asked Morgan.

"It's fabulous, fabulous, and you know, thankful for everything so far and going forward as well," Morgan replied.

For them, this will be a non-traditional Thanksgiving as Dewey takes time to grieve; they are ordering food and going to stay at the beach.

"Thankful that we can be here together, that it is safe to travel; our family can take some time we need to be together and make some new traditions this year," Dewey said

Copyright 2022 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Notes: Arrival at the Tampa airport was a media event complete with Lawton crafted welcome sign and media savvy Lindsey on camera and providing background and even some family photos in memory of Lynn.  So amazing to be greeted with a sign custom made by Lawton and my angel (Lindsey) and the news crew from that fabulous ABC Action News team at the Tampa airport on arrival. 

At the Post with the Fab Four

 

The “Board of Directors” agreed to meet Thursday Night at The Post in Creve Coeur. We are a foursome by virtue of rounds of golf dating back more than 25 years. We are men of a certain age. Successful by almost any conventional measure, we all have respectable careers and all of us celebrate prospects and progress in our respective families.

I have become more reflective in my life, as my wife Lynn passed away earlier this year. Our two kids are grown, married and each have boys born in the past half dozen years (2016). I have always insisted to my daughter Lindsey that the world is a better place with her in it. She is a leader in a Reform Jewish Temple Congregation in Tampa, Florida. My son has grown and has taken his financial skills and general “amazing-ness” and become a Senior Vice President and solid citizen. (He has all that and the heart of an artist.)

Dave has leveraged his brilliant approach to design and merged his commercial art business into a larger enterprise. He is adjusting to a more corporate model after years of prosperity as founder and principal of Sandbox Creative.

Rowdy shares the design background but has morphed himself into a signage and wayfinding impresario. His employer company (sign business) was sold and re-engineered. Rowdy found himself becoming a “go to” guy at BJC Healthcare. He brings pragmatic problem solving and common sense to what clearly can sometimes be a bureaucratic process. (You need only to note the massive web of buildings in one Saint Louis hospital to feel the complexity.)

Tom showed us just how well he could recover from what looked to be a stable position as software/computer application guru in the packaging business for 28 years when his employer sold the company, leaving Tom to face the career “what’s next” of a lifetime. He landed softly with a family owned pizza company and showed them how to manage millions of units of ingredients and hundreds of distribution points (grocery stores, restaurants etc.)

Our meeting came to order as each of my colleagues signed a message to their respective spouse “I will never forget how great you are!” in a custom card featuring a cartoon elephant (designed by wam22). The meeting would inevitably result in bits and pieces of joyful family news from each of us.

Dave’s daughter Samantha is getting married in December in Michigan. Danielle is making strides in her post college career path (as her 24th birthday approaches). Nicole is making herself into a broadcaster and creative powerhouse at Drake University.

Rowdy is grateful for the bountiful occurrence as he becomes a grandpa several times over. He reflects on daughter McKenzie's wedding in Philadelphia. He never hides the pride he has for his son Nick (noting what a blessing it was to follow his boy in soccer at Wisconsin).

Tom’s daughter Grace might have stumbled on to a shrewd career path as part of a high school program that may just gotten her focused on the rigger that could result in a big time government analytics job that will lead to a life in Washington D.C. with panoramic cresidential view of the U.S. Capital. Jack is about to enter college (Tom thinks Missouri might win, but Arkansas, KU and Tennessee are still in the mix).

All of these morsels, as we sit at a table with a bucket of beers, random appetisers, and big screen television monitors in every direction around the place (Hockey, Baseball playoffs, NFL news, Soccer and more). We have much for which to be thankful. Cheers.

Columbus with Janie (part 3)

 

"I feel like a giddy High School girl in love" was the P.S. on the Rebecca & Co. original design card. A Big Hug from me to you - was the message and it arrived in my mailbox about a week before Janie and I would be together again - this time in Columbus, Ohio. I too, feel like a high schooler. Well, in so many ways, it's as if no time had passed at all since we were a couple in High School. 

I flew to Columbus where I would visit with my nephew on Thursday night. Friday morning, Janie drove from Cleveland and we spent a lovely 28 hours together. The Columbus Museum of Art is hosting a special exhibition of Tapestries designed by High Renaissance artist Raphael. Columbus is a twin city with Dresden, Germany and, as such, is the only place in the U.S. showing these remarkable pieces (which once hung in the Sistine Chapel). After Columbus they will go to London.

One of Six Raphael designed Tapestries on view at Columbus Museum of Art

Coffee and Tea in the sculpture garden. In spite of weather predictions of cloudy day, the sun was shinning and the temps are in the sixties. Comfortable and adjacent to Aristide Maillol The Mountain and a reflecting pool.

Lunch at Ohio State Golf Course and a evening with Shadowbox Live regional theater sketch comedy production of Wicked Games. 

A visit with my sister at the Wal-Mart where she sells eyeglasses; The show and The Marriott Columbus OSU spill into breakfast and and pregame of The Ohio State Buckeyes at the Penn State University at JV's house. (JV is stressing a bit over his latest project to rehab and renovate a house in Upper Arlington). 

Janie left for Cleveland mid morning and we racked up a few more memorable moments before returning to our respective lives in Cleveland and Saint Louis (I flew back early Sunday on Southwest wanna get away trip that took me through Chicago).

Photo above: Janie photographed in the Lakewood High School cafeteria in 1974 where she had the same kind of charm, mystery and vibe as the character played by Ali McGraw opposite Ryan O'Neal's character in Love Story (1970). 

Photo Below: Wes and Janie at Ohio State University golf course where we enjoyed a leisurely lunch surrounded by the majesty of a Fall Day in October. 

 

Je t’aime Janie

 

I know you are capable of being alone;

I’ll just text you, so I’ll be on your phone.

I wish you more… You say I could always read you;

Your cards are on the table but never fully shown.

 

Children on hard wood floors making noise;

Five girls and no boys.

Grace Wren Mercy Rooney Prim;

Princess parade proceeding with poise.

 

Cleveland, Cincy and Columbus;

Can’t stop thinking of the two of us;

Old Immigrant brew-pub eclectic;

Divine Intervention…In God we trust.

 

Clifton Park, Edgewater Drive;

It’s great to be alive;

Embracing the moment;

Grateful, as we survive.

 

Consider the time and miles;

Kissing in the dark,   

We’re only dancin’ a while.

And I will always love your smile.

-----------

Love Story

 

They went to the senior dance;

Not ever thinking of an enduring romance.

That night came and went;

Marking time and another life event.

 

Ultimately going their separate ways;

It was a time and place. It was just a phase;

Unaware they were living the good old days.

Simple, present, in retrospect, it amazed. 

 

A reunion and a chance encounter;

Memories rekindle as he once again found her;

They danced around and round;

As the feelings and flames astound.

 

The bond was a magical kind of chemistry;

Familiar places, friends, a shared history;

The why and the how remains a mystery

What they were and are will always be.

Note: The poetry is one way for me to channel my sappy affection for this ironic set of circumstances that brings us together after so many years.

Drimer at the Wall - Jerusalem

 

Reflections on a Wall By David Drimer

Every time in Jerusalem feels like the first time.

But there is a force, a powerful magnet, always drawing me to the Kotel. No matter what prosaic thing I may be doing, it’s always on the fringes of my consciousness. As I wander the streets of the Old City, inching ever closer, the pull becomes stronger.

As much for this reason as for any other, this is the essence of why a Jew makes a pilgrimage to Jerusalem.

Finally, we approach in silence, if not awe. I enter, keenly aware of those around me. Immediately I put my forehead against the wall, by hands above my head, feeling the heat of the rock. I instantly marvel: “How many tens of thousands – hundreds of thousands – of my Jewish forebears have prayed here in this very spot?” Suddenly, I am – as the poem goes – “alone amongst them.”

Candidly, my thoughts quickly turn introspective and soon lead to grief. I unbury my personal pain, the pains of my loved ones, the pains of the world. I consider each in turn. My emotional response is far from unique. It’s been written, “If tears could melt stone, the Kotel wouldn’t be standing.”

I brought little notes of prayer to place in the Wall; one is to my mother Doris/Devorah Rahel (z”l), the other is to my father Gideon/Moishe Gidon (z”l). What I know of unconditional love, I first learned from my mother. She was sick for a long time, suffering in acute pain daily for many years. I have often looked for meaning in her suffering; I have still not found it. On my father’s 90^th birthday, his last, I wrote him a card that said, “Whenever I have a tough ethical decision to make, I think, ‘What would my father do?’” It was true then; it remains true to this day. It’s a hard path; it has cost me. These are the mysteries of life; my road to travel. I consider the totality of their lives and speak my heartfelt prayers to them partially aloud, but sotto voce.

In this quiet period of meditation, I ask for guidance in solving my and my family’s problems, guidance on how to be a better man, a better father, a better husband. I seek guidance on how to best serve the interests of the Jewish community. It’s my career, it’s my calling, my hope is to do it the best I can. My single biggest remaining ambition is to bring my and my wife’s hopes for our Holocaust Awareness Initiative to full fruition. I pray unabashedly for help.

Time spent there sobers me up a little; I start to breathe easier and become more cognizant of the peace of the place; more aware of the simple grandeur of this plain stone wall, a literal wreck for thousands of years.  I begin to sense relief. I have put down my burdens.

I finally remember to pray for the Mets to win the World Series (it can’t hurt.) I don’t bother with the Jets anymore. That ship sailed long ago.

My feelings now drift towards an increasing feeling of serenity and joy. Look at this amazing place. This phenomenal tradition. The spiritual power of this Wall calls people of many religions to dip their toes in the waters of Judaism.

I no longer think of myself as an especially “spiritual” person. Figuratively, I’m the man who blocks the door, while others behind me pray, at least temporarily but blissfully unaware of the looming threat of the outside world. I choose to be alert while others seek transcendence.

But in this place, just before we greet Shabbos, its transcendental for me, as well. It has also been written, “If hopes and dreams could make these stones fly, there would be a wall floating around somewhere in space.”

Eventually – and I have no idea how much time has passed – I turn away.  The women of the wall (“My women of the wall”) have yet to emerge. I learn later my daughter went back to pray twice. My wife, who lost her mother just one year ago, finally emerges teary-eyed. I know precisely what she was praying about. But they are tears of joy. Her mother was a remarkable, powerful woman. My wife is the living embodiment of her mother’s very strong Jewish values. Ina Frey/Chaya Tsura (z”l) looms over our lives every day.

We leave, refreshed. Renewed. Reinvigorated. More inspired by our faith than when we entered. We exit more committed to our cultural imperatives of Tzedakah (Charity) and Tikkun Olam (Repair the World).

Such is my “tongue’s poor speech” on praying at the Western Wall.

Shalom. 

Note: David Drimer shared this piece with me. I read it on what would have been my 42nd snniversary. (October 8, 2022) So beautifully crafted. And for me incredible timing. Dave - you are amazing. So many stories that might begin "A wise dude I knew in college..."  

Seeing the Forest for the Trees

Laumeier Sculpture Park Big Dinner September 17, 2022

The Aaronson Fine Arts Building proudly showcases a selection of artists celebrating the environment of trees. Gallery visitor traffic observe a range of works from figurative to conceptual. It is an ideal starting point as supporters check in for our fundraising diner. Laumeier Sculpture Park is a remarkable gem in our region. More than 275 citizens enthusiastically gather to support of the mission that merges art and nature.

 

The catering crew from Ces and Judy's have prepared each plate as if a work of art. The staff at Laumeier attend to a million details. The evening is mapped out to showcase the bucolic setting adjacent to the neon art of David Hutson, Big Deer by Tony Tasset, Ginnever's Crete, Alexander Liberman's The Way and dozens of other world-class pieces of monumental heroic contemporaty art in a very public place. We find ourselves dining at tables positioned in the heart of the midway that earlier this year attracted over 17,000 visitors to the juried show and Art Fair on Mother's Day weekend in May. 

The moveable feast guides guests from check in and gallery viewing to cocktails, diner, coffee/desert and the music by the Screechin' Halts on a stage in front of the estate house. The evening was lovely and the weather behaved as if Sumer would last forever. The fun included auction items and pledge opportunities that crushed the goal of $135,000.00 before the valet parking crew started the orderly end of a beautiful evening. Needless to say: A good time was had by all. Congratulations to Executive Director Lauren Ross and the staff at Laumeier Sculpture Park.

A Day in Cleveland with Janie (part 2)

 

A Day in Cleveland 8-20-22

Divine Intervention

Sunrise 6:45am - Pier W is truly a one of a kind place for a beautiful sunrise. It's been a landmark restaurant since 1965 and its architecture is designed to resemble the hull of a ship. Set within a cliff overlooking Lake Erie, with a panoramic view of Cleveland. (The photo my brother Dan captured of Janie and me is a kind of magical documentation of what I later claimed as Divine Intervention. (Janie’s border line agnostic text response - Divine Intervention: Sometimes that works.) 

Breakfast - The Dinerbar on Clifton serves tasty, high quality American fare with health conscious options for breakfast in a sleek & stylish retro diner. I wanted coffee. She wanted Tea. We lingered over breakfast for over 2 hours. OMG it’s 11:00 already.

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame - A highlight of our visit was An immersive complement to Peter Jackson's docuseries, “The Beatles: Get Back.” We are fans experiencing The Beatles on film, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, George Harrison and John Lennon and even Billy Preston on keyboards. The film takes us to the rooftop of Apple Studio in January of 1969. 

The Cleveland Museum of Art – I am delighted to visit the Cleveland Museum of Art with Janie. She has agreed to be a student and I cannot resist being a docent. This is the place where as a youngster I was introduced to Pablo Picasso’s Blue Period La Vie, George Wesley Bellows Stag at Sharkey’s and of course Rodin’s Thinker. Janie smiles as she continues to struggle for appreciation of the abstract expressionism of Mark Rothko. Dan embraces his “side hustle” as a part time museum guard in addition to his ongoing career as an extraordinary photographer.

Solstice Steps at Lakewood Park - The perfect day included a finale sunset at Lakewood Park’s Solstice Steps. We stopped to reflect at Coach Angelo Privetera’s lovely tribute to his wife Karen at the Pavilion between Foster Pool and a baseball diamond. Clouds and a light rain caused us to cut it short but we agreed to get a bite to eat before calling it a day.

Immigrant Son Brewery - Janie suggested we visit this place at 18120 Sloane Avenue. Years ago this was a common hangout where the McDonald’s restaurant nearby attracted students from Lakewood High School. On this night it was busy and so we elected to sit at the bar. Perfect! We found ourselves adjacent to a social media couple just getting to know each other. (He was divorced and she was a widow.) They were a kind of proof positive that people deserve happiness. It is beautiful when people find each other and extra special if you are fortunate enough to rediscover one another. "How long have you two been together?" she asks. Well, we first dated about 48 years ago. (Ha) Again we lingered effortlessly (until after 10 pm).   

Back at the Winton Place we said goodbye in the darkness of the parking lot. I had an early flight back to Saint Louis the following morning. Divine Intervention? Yeah, I think sometimes that works.

 

 

 

Texting Janie (part 1)

The Medium is the Message

I am communicating almost exclusively via text message with Janie, having seen her again in Cleveland on what happened to be my birthday more than 2 months ago. She and I attended our senior prom together in 1974 (48 years ago). She joined me (and my brother Dan) for diner at The Pier W restaurant overlooking Lake Erie. The reservation is late, due to my flight in from Saint Louis. Dan’s wife Annette had to work a shift and was unable to join us. She is a nurse. I am tickled that Janie agreed to meet for diner. It was as if no time had passed at all.

Janie is everything she always was. She is a bit guarded but she sparkles in the low light of the outdoor waiting area overlooking the Lake. She smiles easily. We hugged before our table is ready. The Cleveland skyline is in the distance as we enjoyed our meal near the window. The conversation is largely dominated by me. I came armed with index cards designed to get some answers from the woman. In my way of thinking, time is of the essence. She told me she was divorced three years ago at one of those sort of contrived High School reunions. I only have a sketchy idea about details of her four children and five grandchildren. I noticed early on that she didn’t really want to focus on my iPhone images of my amazing two children and my wonderful two grandchildren. I get it. The family stories and pics are fun but you cannot make up for lost time this way. She did warm up, however, to the gamesmanship of the prepared interview questions on my list. It’s good fun because most of the questions are either trivia or subject to our collective memories. The real purpose, perhaps, is just to get reacquainted for what it might be worth.

Dan was a good sport, sensing correctly that I just really wanted to take advantage of this short window of time with Janie before I filled the balance of the weekend with the Cleveland Museum of Art, Dan’s travelogue of Lakewood haunts, and the St. Luke grade school (1-8) reunion which kicked off with a 4:30 Mass followed by festivities at the school Gymnasium.

So the texting becomes the way for Janie and I to keep talking (sort of). It is apparent that the nuances of communication without regard to punctuation, sentence structure, and subject to fumbling thumbs and auto-correct is gonna be flawed at best. But I kinda love it nevertheless.

We text about the weather. We text about art. We text about movies and theater. We text about family and all in all we’ve covered a lot of ground in staggered exchanges that may be choppy, disjoined and a kind of shorthand. 

ABOVE: Rothko Painting at Saint Louis Art Museum

BELOW: Snail-mail card (front and inside) for Janie mailed in July 2022 commemorating the flavor/flaws of our textmessaging.

Sonoma Valley Wedding of K-Mo and Mad

 

The Last Dragon finds his match

K-Mo (Kevin) and Mad (Madelyn) are to be married on July 9, 2022 at Beltane Ranch in Glen Ellen, California. He is the youngest of my youngest brother Rob’s kids. Morgan uncles from Tampa (Greg), Cleveland (Dan) and Saint Louis (Me) are happy to travel west to be a part of what is sure to be a storybook event in the heart of Northern California wine country. I cannot resist another opportunity to see my brother Rob cry as he tries to express his heartfelt emotion. His wife Joy knows well the bitter-sweetness of watching as the dragons of Southlake making their way in the world.

We have already enjoyed the magic and chemistry of Rob and Joy wedding celebrations of Megan (to Parker in Nashville) and Tara (to Adam in Oklahoma City). Showing up for Kevin’s wedding, like the other two weddings, is rewarding beyond imagination.

Beltane Ranch, the 105-acre venue nestled in the Sonoma Valley, was founded by business-woman and abolitionist Mary Ellen Pleasant in 1892. This dreamlike place is augmented with string instrumentation, catering, tables, music, a dance floor and a hundred other details managed expertly in a setting of an extraordinary beauty. Clearly the wedding planner, behind the scenes, earned her stripes. Timeless elegance and pure joy surrounded a remarkable collection of beautiful guests, all with utmost confidence in future Mr. and Mrs. Kevin Morgan.

We are a family separated by time and geography, but an occasion like this allows us to fill in some of the stories of our individual lives. Greg is joined on this trip with has his stepdaughter Lauren, son Matt (and sweet Bianca) and son Wes (traveling via RV with his quirky plus one, Alexis). Dan drops knowledge of photography on us in impromptu Masterclass episodes and select memories (his own brand). I was lucky Denise (a San Francisco resident) was willing to indulge my desire to visit the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (where we were able to ponder, among other works, the a remarkable Mark Rothko #14 from 1960). Denise and I also had lunch on Thursday at ATwater Tavern (founded by Lakewood, Ohio pal John Caine who joined us at our table).  

Kevin and Madelyn are are a beautiful couple and their marriage was pure joyfulness from start to finish. Kevin is flanked in picture above by his sisters Tara on his right and Megan on his left,  

Denise (my plus one for the wedding) is flanked by Morgan brothers Dan, Wes, Rob and Greg,