Update about blogCa

Tuesday, June 8, 2021

Meeting cousin John

My friend Helen and I drove to Columbia SC a week ago, to see an exhibit of M. C. Escher's works at the Art Museum there. I'll be sharing my photos from that trip over on my art blog "Alchemy in Clay."

Yet I also knew that a cousin lived there and taught at U of SC...music department. His sisters had shared information on FaceBook about some of his compositions. I'd listened to them at that time. But I hadn't been in touch with him for many years.

Actually I hadn't seen John since he was just a boy, a year older than my oldest son. We camped with his father and next older sister when John was about 12...and they were in a camper trailer, while I was in a camper van with my two older sons, somewhere in Wisconsin. We (my sons and I) were beginning a summer of travel all over the west of the country. We started in FL, where we ended up after putting 10,000 miles on the van (and new tires I think.)

John's family lived in Stevens Point, Wisconsin. His oldest 2 sisters had already married and left home. But since then, I've shared comments back and forth sometimes with the 3 sisters who are my friends on FaceBook...but John doesn't do social networking of any kind.

So I timidly asked his sisters if they thought I should email John and see if I could get together or at least have a phone call with him. Since it was already June, I didn't know for sure that he wouldn't be teaching classes. My email was answered positively and we met for lunch.

It was great to spend two hours getting to know this talented young man (well, in his 50s, but young to me!) 


Here is one of Helen and myself after we had a good lunch, and were about to head home again.

We enjoyed our visit, and have continued to email with John since then, making sure he knows we'd love to have him visit Black Mountain NC.

Today's quote:

Real life most often happens during the in-between times, when we are not celebrating a special occasion.

15 comments:

  1. You and John do look like you may share some genes.

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    1. I do see the resemblance in him to his dad, my dad's brother.

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  2. ....cousins is some thing that I don’t have.

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    1. I sure haven't been able to stay in touch with many of them. Living in different areas, having families...we've just not connected much.

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  3. How wonderful to connect with your cousin. Such a sweet photo of the two of you.

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    1. My oldest son is a year younger than this cousin, son of my father's brother! It's kind of nuts...but he is a talented and cordial host for our lunch,

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  4. Lovely photos and great times!

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    1. I am so glad to connect with him...and with covid becoming just a memory, perhaps I'll get together with more relatives this year!

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  5. Hello,
    Great photos of your visit with your cousin and with Helen. Sounds like you had a great trip. Take care, enjoy your day!

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    1. Thanks...it was certainly fun...though I know I'm not able to do as much as I once did in a day!

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  6. Glad you got to spend time with your cousin. Beautiful photos of you and your cousin.

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  7. What a wonderful reunion. I imagine that if I'm in the neighborhood of a cousin we'd get together. I have lots but no contact at present. used to exchange Christmas cards with some my age but when they didn't reciprocate I gave up. I think my older siblings have had more luck staying In touch with some. One cousin is a fairly well known author, Beverly Lewis. She writes novels featuring the Amish. Have you ever read anything by her?

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    1. I was the one who didn't send Christmas cards to my cousin through the 80s and 90s...and so on. Beverly Lewis does sound familiar as an author I've read...several Amish stories have been quite good.

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There is today, more than ever, the need for a compassionate regenerative world civilization.