Meditations #36

 Are you distracted by outward cares? Then allow yourself a space of quiet, wherein you can add to your knowledge of the Good and learn to curb your restlessness. Guard also against another kind of error: the folly of those who weary their days in much business, but lack any aim on which their whole effort, nay, their whole thought, is focused.

Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, Book Two

As I continue to settle into our life here at the cabin this also seems like a natural fit. I didn't consciously decide to retreat from the world and look for a retreat like this cabin here in the woods, but it does seem to fit my current emotional state. As MA reminds us, like attracts like. It also, in a way, reminds me of the book I just finished, Fernando Pessoa's The Book of Quiet, which I'll have a lot to say about, I suspect. It moved me more than any book I can think of in a while.

Meditations # 35

 To refrain from imitation is the best revenge.

Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, Book Six

I guess this seemed like the appropriate MA passage as I began to mentally and emotionally unpack the experience from my recent mad dash to Indiana. It sometimes amazes me how little I actually have in common with my father, especially since way too many people somehow think we are exact copies of one another. My Dad one time cracked that it was a good thing he existed because that allowed me to figure out what to do and think: that is, exactly the opposite of what he does and thinks. I guess all fathers think things like this, although it's especially true in regards to my father's solipsistic nature. It doesn't seem that I consciously made a decision to do and think exactly the opposite of my father, although I suppose I wouldn't recognize that even if it were true. Here's the thing, maybe if I had stayed in Lawrenceburg, Indiana I would have ended up thinking that way, as also seems to be the case of everyone I went to high school with who stayed there (if Facebook is any judge).

Family

 On the trip I was able to spend some time with my Aunt Connie, which inevitably (and happily) always leads to various and sundry members of her side of the family showing up. They all live pretty close. It was wonderful to see her, and I wish we lived closer. Sadly, my Portugal souvenir for her is still locked up in my still-missing suitcase.

A nice shot of my Aunt Connie and, to her left, my cousin Nick. On the other side of the family is Amy, Pat's wife (he was working, but we did get to face time), and her kids Andrew and Lucy.

My Aunt Connie, my source for Rising Sun swag. She read that one of my Rising Sun t-shirts was in the missing suitcase, so, naturally, she drove over to RS to pick up replacements.

Yes, more Rising Sun swag, which should last me until I pass out of this realm of pain, or foolishly leave them in a suitcase . . .

Dad and Joanie

 Three days after the wedding I made a mad solo dash to Indiana to see my Dad. I was also planning on spending a couple days with my friend Dave and my brother Eric, but both of them came down with COVID while I was on the road so it ended up being one of those trips where I actually spent more time driving than I actually spent in Indiana (which isn't necessarily a bad thing). I'll have more to say about the trip once I've unpacked it.

My Dad and his wife Joanie at our traditional shrimp and grits meal in Aurora.

Philadelphia Story

 Something about this shot reminds me of the last scene from the classic movie The Philadelphia Story, although there was absolutely nothing about the wedding itself that mirrored the movie (except for a lot of great lines and laughter). Instead we had the most low-key and natural wedding you could possibly imagine, as the bride walked out of the back of the cabin and onto the platform on the edge of the forest. 

Here we are cutting the wedding key lime pie.

Quiet Rainy Morning

 It's been quite chaotic lately - getting married hard on the heels of three weeks in Portugal - and school coming along in a month - and somehow I/we are headed to Indiana for a short visit - but first KLM needs to track down our lost luggage (which has left everything in limbo). But here's a nice shot from the cabin, sitting on the porch, early, on a rainy morning.

Again, I'm feeling awfully blessed at the moment.

Minha Mulher Doce

 I posted a picture of Janet on our recent trip to Portugal on Facebook with the title minha mulher doce. That means "my sweet woman" in Portuguese, although Google translation quickly turned it into "my sweet wife," which is, technically, correct as well. Of course, this caused a mild uproar among my friends because they felt that we had spirited ourselves away to Portugal and eloped. I calmed everyone down, although we did in fact get engaged - and then married three days after we landed in the US. Obviously, much more on on this - and the Portugal trip - coming soon.

Oh, and I'm feeling very blessed.

When you forget the bouquet but remember the scrunchy.