We arrived on a Friday and jumped right in with The Annual BBC Birthday Bash for Rob, Erin, and Glenn. This was the seventh year for our party and it was as amazing as each one before. Though we were both a bit jet lagged, we had a blast catching up with everyone who came. We continued the party at the Idlewild until the wee hours, though Glenn and I crashed at about 11. Oh well! Next year we'll try to be the last ones standing.
The next morning the under-12 Idlewild lodgers and I made pancakes of every color for the rest of the folks at the house. Making a big floury mess with the kids at the kitchen island never gets old. Thanks to the magical kitchen fairies who cleaned up after us. What a job!
The rest of the week leading up to Thanksgiving was spent visiting and cooking. J, Betsy, Birch, Jack, Chris, Melissa, Liam, and Quinn were all visiting for parts of the week. We were at the Idlewild, in Buzzard's Bay with Brendan, Rob and Alicia, and at Linda's house on the bluff. I spent hours at Dad's with nephews and sibs. Every time I turned around there was another reason to be thankful.
On Thanksgiving Day we celebrated in seprate houses - Glenn in Buzzards Bay with his family and me at Dad's with mine. A huge turkey dinner, beautiful walk to the sea side, and nice long rest in front of the wood stove made for the perfect day in Manomet. The best part was that we were all together again the next day. No rushing around or hasty exodus.
An extra super bonus was seeing Bri and his family for weekend. Brian, Kristy, Kaeden, Yosey, and Noah all travelled to Seminole to spend three days with us. I can't tell you how grateful I was that they could make the trip. All three brothers and all nine nephews (and one amazingly brilliant and precocious Eva) in the span of two weeks was magical. Truly. I can't believe how quickly everyone is growing up. It seems like Noah and Quinn just arrived and here they are walking, talking, and raising hell. Oliver is ready to travel on his own any second now, though he was just a little sleeping lump in a Baby Bjorn the last time we saw him. Eva was telling us about school! And Brendie is just too big for me to comprehend. The Vermont boys are little men and Liam is one step away from MENSA or breaking his father's sanity in two. Kaeden and Yosey are all grown up now. Kaeden is hitting those pre-teen years and Yosey, much like his father was at his age, is happily living half in reality and half in a dazzling imaginary world where the sky is the limit. I am so honored to know each of these amazing children and an so proud of their parents for the phenomenal job they are doing raising them.
Back to Florida....It was good to get to know Mom's new friend, Bill who treats her like a queen and ALMOST gets her quirky sense of Martin humor. I'm happy that they have both found some companionship and more laughter in their lives. Of course Mom has scheduled almost every last minute of her day with some group or activity. She is was constantly at meeting, rehearsals or at the church organizing their annual holiday fair - a huge success of course. Florida weather wasn't cooperating (cool, cloudy, rainy) so I was happy to tag along with Mom and see some of her many friends in the process. Connie came down too, so we had plenty of card games and nice meals out all together.
When I first arrived at Mimi's new pad, they were wheeling her out to a waiting ambulance after shed' fainted in the activity room. The first time I spoke to her was in the emergency room where she had already recovered her sense of humor and energy (when asked why she fainted, she replied that the party was getting boring and she felt she needed to do something to shake things up). After checking her out thoroughly, the doctors found nothing majorly wrong with the Mim-ster and sent her home. After that auspicious beginning (and a subsequent, and equally harmless tumble into a huge Toys for Tots box the next day), Mimi and I had a great time exploring her new digs, watching old home movies, and chatting. She really is happy in this new home and it makes me smile to think of her there. Though she's determined to "go North" before she gets to the age of 100, I have a feeling I'll be visiting her a few more times in her new place. At 97, she is still going strong.
The one feeling I couldn't shake from the time we landed to the minute I was back on the plane to Dublin was how much I missed my Irish family. This was the first trip to the states where I felt like a visitor. I felt right at home at the same time. This is the same mix of feelings I have when I am in Dublin, too. In fact, I started feeling more at home in Florida this trip, too. It made me wonder where home really was or what the word even means. Glenn and I are very fortunate to have more than one home on this planet and a family that stretches around the globe.
I hope that all of you had a wonderful holiday season and cherish your homes and families in 2010. Peace. Jenny and Glenn
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