Ready To Go

The moments of a journey to think about:  

What did you choose to bring with you to the next place? 

What did you leave behind?

What insights did you gain about what is important?--Christina Baker Kline, ORPHAN TRAIN, a novel 

Alan’s youngest daughter, Carrie, is 15 today. Alan and I along with Gloria, Lauren and Carrie went out for a Birthday Dinner celebration. It was fun. A few photos were taken. Carrie is beautiful and along with that comes popularity at her high school. Of course, there are secrets that she may tell us years from now. Ha-ha 

A few days later I took a photo of Alan while swamped with paperwork in his office (on Feb. 21, 1998). 

Barbara Reynolds sent a HELLO postcard: 

23 Feb 98 

Dear Mike, 

Hope you had a nice “VAL: Day. Mine was the Best EVER...David is here now...two weeks as of the 25th...very good, so far, for me. He is still adjusting from VA & Penn.  

When might you be up here next? And are David and I invited to visit you? Will I ever stop being quite so abrupt?  

I love your fine art card, so restful. 

I love that SCHWAB considers you the BEST and I truly appreciate this sharing. Just what I needed here. I’ve started to act like I’m selling.  

Thank you, Michael. You are such a dear. 

Water...Water...maybe we will sink into the Pacific Ocean.  

I keep visualizing a sunshine reunion.  

You are so good. Thanks for keeping in touch.  

Traveling Light. 

Love, Barbara  

And the family continues to grow. My first cousin, Shawn West, and his wife Reina had a baby girl on February 24, 1998, 7 lbs., 8 ounces, 18 ¾ inches. Her name is DANA KIRIN. I wonder why not KAREN instead of KIRIN. I wonder if it has something to do with the Japanese KIRIN beer? Her mother is half Japanese, too. Wonders never cease as they say. The photos of her are very cute. 

Marie Antoinette wrote a sweet letter this week, dated February 24th. Sometimes her letters look so long but she doesn’t seem to say all that much in them. This time it had more substance:  

Dear Michael, 

I always pray that when I write this letter, I will always find you in excellent health and enjoying life to the fullest! We are all doing fine. I had my granddaughter, Destyne, down with a touch of the flu for about ten days. Then I guess mom caught it from her for another ten days, so I was no worse for wear. Thank goodness with plenty of TLC and penicillin they came out of it great. That is why I wasn’t able to write to you for a while. But I’m back with pen in hand, “ready to go”!  

I’m glad you’re feeling up to par. Mom will be celebrating her 92nd Birthday, the Lord willing on the 10th of March. I warned her to beware of the IDES OF MARCH and she giggled. Mom really doesn’t remember much anymore. She recalls quite a bit of the days when she played basketball and rode horses as a young girl. Occasionally she asks about dad, Bless her heart! 

If I find out anything else, I’ll be sure to let you know. We’re going to try and go down to Cerrillos, NM again in a couple of weeks. I’ll be sure to ransack those old sheds for my old diaries. It’s been such a long time that I hope I find them legible. 

The last few times we went to NM we stopped to see Uncle Victore but his barber shop in Trinidad, CO was closed. Neighbors told us that they hardly ever see him out and about! I’m going to try to find him when he goes down again. I’ll let you know how it went.  

We know a few ARMIJO’s here. In fact, Joe and Mary Armijo baptized our daughter, Bernadette. You know, I never asked them if you were related. I hope to see them next Sunday at Mass and I’ll ask in a subtle way.  

Congratulations on your stock. I’ve always wanted to try something like that. Maybe you could give me some ideas. I’ve set aside a little money for my granddaughter’s future, but the savings haven’t accumulated that much interest. I’m looking at other options. 

You have such great looks Michael that you would blend in beautifully in any big city. Especially in New York City. Now don’t let this get out but you're one of the most handsome cousins I’ve ever met!  

My daughter, Bernadette, said, ‘too bad he’s related mom’. Now, how do you like them apples? You have a few admirers here! 

Well, Michael, I’m rambling on again. I’d better close, so take care and God Bless You! 

Love Your Cousin, 

Marie Antoinette & Family 

PS - Give my love to Aunt Genevieve and all the family. Tell them I hope to see them again one day. 

“It is the little things that count. Little things make big things happen.” --William Butler, THE BUTTERFLY REVOLUTION, published 1961