A visit from my Tomball family

My large family and I like nothing better than to get together, all seventeen of us. As we did in a huge, rental house in Blanco at Christmas. But over the years I have also come to value individual visits with each one—whether it’s a whole day together or a ride in a car. This summer I have had visits from one family at a time, and they have made me gloriously happy.

This weekend Colin, the oldest, came with Lisa, Morgan (almost 15) and Kegan (13).  They arrived in time Saturday for a late lunch ordered from Colin’s favorite-ever place, Carshon’s Deli.

Colin and Sophie

Sophie thought it the most wonderful weekend ever. She went from one lap to another, and literally lapped up all the affection. This morning at 3:45 she woke me insistent on going out--and went to the backdoor off the deck. I'm sure she was looking for our visitors. 

Lisa making cucumber margaritas
(I abstained)

As Lisa said, they brought everything but the kitchen sink with them. Colin has a new, propane-powered griddle—not a grill, but a whole, flat-surfaced outdoor griddle. He brought that, a 6 ft. picnic table, an outdoor fan, his complete tool kit—even their own paper towels. Lisa brought potato salad, pasta salad, hamburger fixings, and a red velvet cake—and we

Colin at his griddle

had a picnic. In the afternoon, while I napped, everyone else went to a neighbor’s pool, and then we gathered for a long, leisurely evening on the patio. Temperatures were pleasant, bugs were few, and it was a lovely evening. By ten o’clock, they were off to the Courtyard by Marriott to spend the night.

This morning Colin put his grill to good use again—eggs and bacon and pancakes for breakfast. Once again, the temperature was pleasant, and we ate from our laps sitting around on the patio—social distancing, of course. Colin did a few chores—like hanging the sign Morgan made for me that says, “Juju’s Cottage.”

And then everybody pitched in to pack the camper on the back of the pickup, and they were off, leaving amid lots of air hugs and cries of, “I love you.”

I’m tired. The rest of the day will be downhill and leftovers, but I think that’s a pretty good thing. I can savor the memories.