"In his domestic administration my father had this system . . . to keep a journal and insert in it all occurrences of any note . . . A record very pleasant to look at when time begins to efface the memory of events, and very well suited to get us out of perplexity: When was such and such a thing begun? When completed? What retinues came? How long did they stay? Our trips, our absences; marriages; deaths; the receipt of happy or unhappy news . . . An ancient custom, which I think it would be good to revive, each man in each man's home. And I think I am a fool to have neglected it." (Montaigne, Book I, Essay 35 (publ. 1580))

Monday, March 27, 2006

Unexpected 50th Fun; HoHoKam Park





Patricia and I enjoyed a total surprise when our five sneaky children pulled off a 50th birthday weekend for us. (My birthday is already old news, while Patricia’s is coming up on April 6.) The conspiracy was only revealed Thursday evening when I heard the unmistakable giggling of my two daughters sneaking around the back patio around 11:30p in the company of their chauffeur, Chris, after flying in from Chicago and Washington DC. So they woke up their mother right away and the weekend was launched.

Fun things:
  • Going to Z Tejas for lunch on Friday and watching our tourist daughters get a sunburn over lunch hour on the patio

  • Sitting around and talking and watching NCAA tournament upsets and/or ridiculously close finishes (including Washington’s version of Jon Blaha scrapping his way to defeat)

  • Dinner with just the seven of us around the table on Friday evening (my favorite part of the weekend)

  • Waking up Saturday morning to intense 50th decorations in the family room

  • Spring training baseball on an 86-degree Saturday afternoon at HoHokam Park in Mesa (Cubs 1, Athletics 0 in 10 innings) (photos show our somewhat distant vantage point plus enthusiastic 7th inning stretch vocalizing)

  • Waiting for Mary Beth Stern to come by for dinner on Saturday only to have about 30 people show up for a great birthday celebration

  • Watching our sneaky kids handle shopping, decorating, food prep, cleanup etc. while they also paid for it all. Each one of them was integral to the event.
This was a ridiculously nice thing for them to do. It won’t be forgotten.
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