Attended Sonora High School's Graduation Last Night and Got to Spend Time with My Cousin's Friends, His Daughter, the Graduate, and the Graduate's Sister

Actually, I should start by saying that Chitunga took the lead and drove us to Yosemite where we saw the Bridalvail Falls deep in the valley. It is white knuckle driving in and out of the park and I've never seen such hills, curves, and falls before. We learned later from Patrick's partner that a person a day goes missing in the forest. I can see why. Chitunga, too, went for a hike and got lost, but he navigated his way back.....just a little longer than anticipated. I stayed on the flatter trails.

The graduation ceremony was like them all, but the valedictorian speaker really needed some help. He definitely put the corn in ball, and I wanted to help him with originality. Actually, they allowed many students to speak and after it all I was thinking, "There's a reason kids can wait to get out of these schools."

We never got around to lunch and ended up at the graduation rather hungry. Samantha and I wandered down food (I've never been at a ceremony that had a taco truck). It saved me. We then drove to Patrick's for a party, and he was able to get Bobbie and Dick from the nursing home. It was wonderful to see how animated Bobbie got with the grandchildren there. Ryan is leaving for London in the morning with an intent to live there permanently. His father is meeting him in Seattle to help make the transition, as he's 18 now and a graduate. 

It was wonderful chatting with Hannah and Samantha, catching up on their lives, learning about the latest in Louisville and the livelihood of Bozeman, Montana, where Hannah lives now. Wasn't sure Ryan was happy about the celebration in his honor, but he made it and is the Class of 2026.

The drive and hiking, coupled with the reunion of family, has/had my brain spinning in multiple directions yesterday, as I'm sure it was the same for Chitunga. Slept in this morning and will see what we can make of the days ahead. I've decided you have to have goat blood to live in this part of the country and love all the rocks, hills, climbs, and heat.

I'm definitely a seashore guy...Just give me the beach and a water way to look upon.

We Were Both Too Old to Do The Math But We Know This was a Reunion Almost 20 Years Too Late. Had to Fly to California to Make It Happen

We're chicken clucking. Neither Chitunga or I are casino-oriented individuals, but we sat in the casino and enjoyed bar food. He arrived yesterday at 10:45 and we got the rental and drove 2 hours through windy roads and many hills...some of it white-knuckle driving. It was us, goats, trucks driving huge logs, and $7 a gallon gas. The heat is also in the 90s, which is nice.

In the evening, we drove to visit Aunt Bobbie and Uncle Dick at the Skyline Senior Living Center. They were eating dinner and both were very, very surprised. We allowed them to finish, and afterwards, a nurse walked them outside to have a great visit with us. Bobbie was all hugs and joy and Dick was all smiles. She kept calling Chitunga Chicago. They are now in total assisted living and memory care. Their minds go in and out of knowing what's going on. It was sad to see this, but it goes with the territory of getting older. 

Afterwards, we drove to see Patrick, met his partner, met his partner's mom, and met many of the dogs they have. Ryan only waved as he ran from his room to go fishing (with Patrick giving rolling eyes...teenagers). Tomorrow he graduates at 7 p.m. and afterwards we'll gather with a little celebration.

Chitunga and I are heading for hikes this morning and will make a game plan for our other travels while we're here. I changed my flight to leave out of San Francisco so that is likely to be our go-to location after the weekend. Well we've our way down there from where we are which is in a very remote part of Cali. 

The hills are beautiful, but the dryness is frightening considering the fires they often get. Looking forward to seeing Hannah and Samantha tonight. I haven't been back to this part of the country since right before my senior year of high school.

Oh, and the chicken portraits around the hotel are worth the stay. I knew when I saw them online it was the deal that would hook me.

Well, I Am in Sacramento, California, and Chitunga Should Be Here Some Time This Morning. 1st Night Airport Stay

I forget...traveling out west makes for a long day. Actually left at 12:15 east coast time and I got to my hotel at 10:45 West Coast time, so that is really 1:45. There was a flight delay in Washington, which worked out fine because it allowed for dinner there. Then, upon landing in Sacramento, the luggage took another hour. It's all good, though. I'm on land. And their airport repurposes luggage into art sculptures.

I also watched the Avatar film again, which was over 2.5 hours so it ate up a lot of the trip. Thought I m might sleep some, but nope. I couldn't wait to hit the hotel pillow.

I ordered the breakfast, so I'll head downstairs and then await Chitunga's flight before picking up the car rental and heading south for two hours. We're staying at the Chicken Ranch Resort & Casino and the puns are over the top already, "We hope you have a clucking great time." We will. 

I can't believe how I've aged and prefer to be in my own local territory. I like the comforts of home, and running through big airports depresses me more than excited me. Love the super diversity of this nation, but hate how packed these locations are with people running frantically. 

Anyways, I'm in California. The adventure begins right now. 

Mini-Reunion at Sophia's on the Brick Walk with the Ol' Grant Officer and the Soon-to-be-Retiree. Love the Good People.

Whereas CWP relies on grants to stay alive, the grant office at Fairfield University is part of my life, and this included Susan LaFrance who I spend a good many years with over on State and Federal grants, including many weekends where the two of us were simply trying to catch up on all the work we had to do. There'd be three cars in the Canisius parking lot on Saturday & Sundays: mine, Susan's and, then interim Provost, Christine. All of us were working to make as much happen as we good.

Sadly, with all work, a remodeling of the Research Office also meant a departure of Susan who sort of fell victim to the paradigm of non-tenured staff. I had nothing but tremendous joy working with her, although the numbers game is stressful and the paperwork of grants never seems to be finished. 

Still, we've stayed in touch, she went on to earn another degree, and both she and her daughter remain loyal to the campus. I can't believe Elizabeth graduated with her Masters this year.

Anne, too, another grant writer with million-dollar projects, was also a die-hard Susan fan. We knew what the work took, who'd help to get it achieved, and where the answers would arrive. All roads led to Susan's office while she was there. 

Yesterday, we had lunch at Sophias (the potato, lead, and mussels appetizer is my favorite). It was wonderful celebrating Anne's retirement and to catch up with Susan's happiness since she left. I now want to have her over for her interior decoration talent, since she's started that business upon leaving. 

These two have been the rare angels in my work at Fairfield University and I appreciate them both so much. I love when time can be made to meet with good people on a Monday afternoon. This is the joy, I suppose, of summer. 

Channeling Summers in the Outskirts of London and Time Spent in Roskilde on Lars Farm as We Head Towards June (My Favorite Month)

I remember the first time I was fortunate to spend time in an English garden. Amy Parton, leader singer of King Kong and an extraordinary human being, introduced me to her family friends and they took us in for a short while where we drank tea in the back garden, fed baby fox, and were mesmerized by the landscaping and care of the flowers. I remember similar joy in all the years of living in Roskilde during the summer in my trailer. There's something about the warm sun and possible cool air of June that makes it a spectacular month. April showers are to bring May flowers, true, but then there is also June.

Yesterday was one of those wonderful spring days. I did a lot of yard work and enjoyed the temperatures. Karal rested on the porch and I putzed in the gardens, started to rearrange, mowed the lawn and trimmed most of the bushes (I'll do the front ones this morning). I know Cynde and Mike redid their back porch and now I'm wondering if I should do the same (and add a jacuzzi so I can enjoy the back porch year round). It's easy to dream up such joyous occasion when the temperatures are perfect and I don't have a million things to accomplish for work and CWP. The rare occasion to think and enjoy simply has me dreaming more about what might be possible.

I also have a backyard full of Connecticut potatoes (giant rocks) that I'd love to rearrange to landscape a better backyard and garden....maybe even enhance the fire pit some. Every time I mow out back I can't help but recall the decade of moving here and all the life that occurred with volleyball games, corn hole, barbecues, and fires. Strange how quickly such rituals came and then disappeared. They were always wonderful times with lots of laughter. 

I took a shower around 4 and then headed to Pam's for casseroles, pea soup, and the bread I made. Today, too, I'm reuniting with Susan LaFrance, the grant officer and accountant that took care of CWP for so many years. It was wonderful seeing her daughter, Elizabeth, graduate with her Masters degree from the School of Business a couple of weeks ago. She, like me, used to be in her office on weekends trying to keep up with it all. They awarded her by letting her go...a tradition that happens to those without tenure protections our campus. It's a budget saving mechanism which is wrong and unfair, especially when someone is as talented as Susan is/was.

I was writing Kentucky friends yesterday saying I made the right decision moving to a location in the northeast, especially with water to look at on the daily. Such serenity really does matter, as do our gardens. I just wish I didn't hurt so much getting up and down...the things they don't prepare you for in youth.

And yes, my allergies are a mess. It's that time of year...but I'll take them with these temperatures.

Bring on the Graduate School Parties. Queue the Success Stories. Applaud the Growth and Changes & Wonder About the Future

Saturday was an entourage of parties to celebrate recent grad students from Fairfield, including Alana's, as well as Mateo's graduation from Loyola Marymount in California (heading to Cornell's Law School in the fall, and a CWP veteran from 3rd grade to his senior year, as well as a literacy leader of the Young Adult Literacy Labs while in college. They were just puppy dogs, weren't they?

The good thing about the parties is the food was plentiful. I only ate at the Italian-fest in Norwalk, as Eva's father opened a new bar/restaurant/club there called The Haven, where his biscuit and ribs definitely ruled the day. So good. The grandma's also made cookies and brownies, the like I've never had before (they said it's the Amalfi Coast way). Was also invited to visit there home on the Italian coast (now wouldn't that be nice). 

The evening festivity brought the Puerto Rican spirt with reunions of both Luis and Jessica's families. There is such happiness seeing multiple generations dancing to Bad Bunny and others. The spirt never left the party and the parental/graduate speeches were out of this world....couldn't help but feel the love and emotion). 

So great to celebrate my English Education students (all three of them) and to have an opportunity to hang with them outside of class. I wasn't with them in their student teaching phase, but had them in all my other classes, plus one summer of CWP-Fairfield labs and institutes. They are an incredible trifecta and were a joy to work with the past 1.5 years (and I feel blessed they came my way...Eva's parents said she chose Fairfield after she met me and I feel honored....as it was a period when I didn't think we were going to have any graduate students in English...All three appeared out of magic hat and have been nothing but wonderful.

Mateo and Alana, though. Phew. Elementary, middle, high school, college, and now graduate school. That seems absolutely incredible to me and I can't help but think they are CWP kids (which I know they are because they received several awards, especially for their writing).

Eva's mother insisted I leave with a pizza made just for me, so I'll have a tomato, onion, mushroom pie to work with when I get hungry again. She said it was the Italian mom in her, but I said I don't think I've had other Italian moms insist I leave with a whole pizza....I guess when dad owns a three-floor joint with bar, dance floors, restaurant, and a game room that there's a little more zing to the maternal instinct of hosting. 

Today...I simply hope to roll with whatever comes my way. Jury duty for Monday was canceled and I feel a tremendous level of relief. The weather is supposed to be much better today and I need to separate some perennials. The seep, creep, and leap rule of (green) thumb is true. I just don't have any more new spaced to put them, so I may be walking them over to my neighbors, especially those who have moved here from NYC and admitted, "I have no idea how to landscape a front yard. This is our first time owning a lawn."

Last day of May, 2026. Wow. I think I'm done trying to figure out time.

I Can Read a Hint & Follow Directions. Lovely to Take a Friday Evening Off (and I Didn't Have to Drive). Now Today, I Hope to Really Relax

Well, before and after several graduation parties that is...I hope to relax.

Yesterday I got a message that read, "I'm going off the deep end into a slightly dirty martini," which was a plea to do a happy hour somewhere. This ended up being at Outriggers on the water, which I've only been to once. With a bar menu 50% off, I now realize why people attend such happy hours. We were out of there by 5:30 and went to Pam's for ice cream. It was a slow Friday night, which I can't be more grateful for.

I spent most of the morning sending out letters of recognition to the 18 presenters at yesterday's conference - can't thank them enough. I also wanted to look at photos taken to get perspective from the day.

Karal was finally bathed, as well, to help shed some of the loose hair and also to work out a tick I found in one the dog's pits. Such a gross creature, especially when they've achieved their blood-sucking goal. I always love the zip-zap-pep a dog gets after a bath. They sprint, leap, shake, and feel overjoyed. I also took her for a long walk to help her dry some of it off in the sun. Of course, this also meant cleaning the bathroom and tub afterwards, too.

Temperatures have plummeted for today, and the coats will be back out for 24 hours. I need to readjust a chaotic semester to ready for a frantic summer. I'll get there. I'm not rushing anything, but simply soaking it all in. 

As for martinis? Yuck. I'll leave those to others. Like drinking bird bath water.