A few reflections on traveling with the teenager… We are both really glad we did this trip with Symone. She learned a lot – not just about the places and the people we visited, but little things that make life more functional like how to navigate putting your passport somewhere you can reach it quickly,Continue reading “In reflection: England with the teen”
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Planning for England…with a teen!
When we asked 13 year-old Symone what kinds of things she’d like to see and do in England – she replied, “I want to see the British version of Taco Bell, and Big Ben.” We looked at each other and then kindly excused her from the planning committee. The mission to broaden her horizons wasContinue reading “Planning for England…with a teen!”
We keep getting married
The first time I asked her to marry me she paused and said, “When I can understand marriage as something other than a trap I will marry you”. I had smiled and understood. I kissed her because I could see in her face a fear that she had hurt me. I wasn’t hurt. I knewContinue reading “We keep getting married”
Emmett, the Milkshake and the flat Nutria
We planned a little time away for the whole family on the river this weekend at Kaety’s dad’s Alsea fishing house. Less than 2 hours into the weekend our party train was a flaming wreck laying sideways in a ditch. We struggle with Emmett. He’s a wonderful kid that spends a lot of time inContinue reading “Emmett, the Milkshake and the flat Nutria”
Goodbye Sydney
Our plane left Osaka at 5:30 pm and we spent the night flying back against the sun to arrive earlier that day at 3 pm. When we landed I got a series of texts and calls from Miles. Sydney, his life-long cat companion had crawled up onto his chest and taken her last breath. IContinue reading “Goodbye Sydney”
Convenience stores and pagodas
Tom and his girls came to grab us the morning we had to leave and took us on a tour of a convenience store where the girls showed us some of their favorite crap foods. We got a selection of samples of course! With ice cream, gummy products and tea in our bellies we headedContinue reading “Convenience stores and pagodas”
Where is the mattress?
When I booked the ryokan and noted the futon bed I was pretty jazzed. I love futons – plump and firm and oh so easy to just roll out of bed. During our first night when the grandmas came to “bed making” and politely insisted that we “go walk”. When we returned we were delightedContinue reading “Where is the mattress?”
The Ryokan grandmas
We taken to calling them ‘the ryokan grandmas’ – they’ve brought us our food, fixed up the futon at night and cleaned our room during our stay. They basically run the place and we’ve noticed that when we do something wrong we get a look. If Kaety doesn’t finished all her food there is aContinue reading “The Ryokan grandmas”
I love this woman…
I am completely in love with this woman. Not just ‘on vacation’ in love, but all the time in love. Being our best selves for each other is the way we live our love. Which means stopping and taking ‘a fearless inventory’ and being emotional honest with each other all the time. Accepting my loveContinue reading “I love this woman…”
Kurashiki time travel
Wandering the streets of historic Kurashiki was like traveling back in time. Everything was charming and romantic. Above the district were two large temples. We wandered around all day shopping, sitting, gawking, talking and laughing.