IrishOboe

Wednesday (July 18^th) morning Mom and I left at a decent hour in the morning and started the four day trip up to the Maggie P.  It shouldn’t take that long, but these things happen.  I’m currently in the car an hour away from the Maggie P., but of course we’re stuck in stop and go ½ mile per hour traffic.  This way I have the time to write about the trip, I suppose, but I’d rather be at the beach.

The first day of travel went splendidly and we were warmly welcomed into the Bonner family home in North Carolina.  I had met the whole Bonner family at Andy’s senior recital in 2003.  I played bodhran and whistle with violin/guitar duo Who Was Thursday (that’s Andy and his brother).  I was new into Irish music and just learning about playing without music, by ear, and totally in awe of anyone who could improvise or compose.  It was a privilege to play with them, and a whole ton of fun.  It’s been four years since then and my mom had never met them but we immediately fell to talking like we were best of friends.  I can’t remember all that we talked about, but the number of uncommon interests we held in common was really quite astonishing.  The best part of the evening was jamming with Andy and his brother again.  I’m not much better at improvising, but I’m more willing to try and we had some nice moments.

To illustrate how well we fit I’ll just relate how Andy did let me clean up the ice cream dishes, but after dinner I completely forgot to wash up because of conversation and such a feeling of being at home.  Of course, I do the dishes when I’m home, but more at my leisure.  Anyway, as Mom said at the end of the visit: we’d found Friends.

Here’s the Bonner family.

Here’s a sample of the fun we had jamming.  (I’m trying to learn not make excuses, but it’d been a year since I played my low whistle so forgive the opening please.)

I wonder how it is for Andy to see how I write up an event he knows something about.  Feel free to correct/add as you wish.  It’s impossible to write about everything (and still hope to retain my audience).

We lingered at the Bonner’s place in the morning before heading up to Washington to visit my friend who works at a living history museum there.  The delay was delightful, but we hit traffic at 2:30 that made us late into Washington then leave it in 5pm rush hour stop and stop traffic.  That was day two and all the days since have been the same.  However, we had a lovely stop at the farm and I got to meet my friend’s fiancée - they’re dropping like flies!  I had never seen the farm during operating hours so that was fun.  It was a nice way to break up the driving because it was a long and stressful drive to my aunt’s.  It was sad to have so little time in the evening with them, but it was lovely to see them.  I have now officially been passed in height by a cousin.  The little boys are growing up!  Good thing I have nephews to fawn over now.

After a few rousing games of quadruple solitaire in the morning we drove up to my uncle’s, though I think I could have gotten there faster if I had run.  We finally made it and enjoyed American pizza and more family conversation.  I have become a bit more aware of my manner of speaking since I’ve been around English speakers from around the world at my church in Basel.  I’ve noticed things about my vocabulary, expressions, and gesticulations and have been very amused to watch my family because now I know where I get it all.  Man is not made in a vacuum, and I’m fortunate to have such a wonderful family around me even if we do talk on top of each other and finish each other’s thoughts.  It’s all because we understand each other and the wild hand gestures and great animation only add to the love.  Hm, maybe that’s why some of my Japanese students looked afraid of me . . .

I also know that they follow my blog quite well and it’s a little embarrassing to know that they know so much about my life and my thoughts, but I have only myself to blame for that.

We were supposed to pick Dad up from the Hartford airport at 9am and get to the Maggie P. for a full day of fun with everyone (the Daley’s arrived the day before), but Delta messed up Dad’s flights in a royal way and it is now five o’clock and we’ve been stuck in traffic AGAIN and are just getting in.  Writing this update has successfully passed the time and now I am ready to PLAY on the BEACH and REST on the DECK and BE with my FAMILY for TWO WEEKS!

Love you all!