Roads to Joy

Families are arriving for a big celebration today here in Sparty. We’ve got the lawns mowed (some rather better than others!), hot tub fired up, food gathered in, and the Elf Hole is stocked and ready for a series of prolonged chats. The bartender has his best convivial manner in play, and expects to listen, over the course of a beer or two, to tales of life, family, career, and the various vicissitudes that beset us all.

It’s a celebration of a formal beginning to a shared life, of course, and we can expect to offer our hopes for continued joys ahead. I think that each of the preparations have one goal in mind: communication. Families work best when they talk, don’t they? Too often I’ve thought that the logistics of a celebration weekend were the point, but in fact it’s the easy sharing of the experience that the preparations can facilitate that’s the important thing.

Daphne and Louis don’t care about preparations; they live in the excited moment, eager to chat in their doggy ways. Kali cat is not particularly amused, but that’s the way it is, for now, and she will have to accommodate. The cockerels have woken the visitors up early, and everyone is just a bit bleery-eyed. The big day has started.

We’re blessed with a beautiful day, sunshine and wispy white clouds, a soft green garden, chirping birds and still air. We have sufficient energy to cope with the food. The water supply is sufficient to the needs thereof. We have most of our wits and the grandsons have brought their own footballs so they can do their FIFA recapitulations in the newly cleared goal net. We have enough cleared parking for as many cars as are expected, we think.

Meanwhile, as family continue to arrive throughout the morning, we’ll remember to look to that joy of the embrace, of catching up, of laughter and camaraderie. After weeks of enjoying our own company, we ageing empty-nesters, it’s time to enjoy noise, running around, excitement and pleasure in each other’s company.

Family fun and frolics, for sure!