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Cousin Audrey’s youngest daughter, Terri, is the lure that will always bring me back to MInnesota…even if Robert and Marsha permanently decamp to Florida some day. Terri seems to be a center around which the extended family of Hahns, Nesets, Tacks and more can revolve. Audrey is nearby in a nursing home but no longer able to be active physically or very present mentally. The eldest son Randy died some years ago,… Read More
That time of year thou mayst in me beholdWhen yellow leaves, or none, or few, do hangUpon those boughs which shake against the cold,Bare ruined choirs, where late the sweet birds sang.In me thou see’st the twilight of such dayAs after sunset fadeth in the west;Which by and by black night doth take away,Death’s second self, that seals up all in rest … Said Shakespeare, just in time for the birthday party. … Read More
I declare my pandemic year over. It officially started, for me, when the State of New Mexico gave North Fourth two days to close down. March 13, 2020. Oh sure, a lot of bad things had already occurred and more are sure to happen after today. But I’m vaccinated, masked, haven’t hung out in a crowded bar for a goodly number of years and I’m way too old to start again now…so… Read More
Day before yesterday was the Fourth of July. Never my favorite holiday. Dedicated to noise. But what if it’s 2030 and life’s memory stash is all muddled…what if I need to remember July 4, 2020? I’d better make a post for just that eventuality. Black Lives Matter; rampant racism; out-of-control cops; dt shooting off his pouty smarmy mouth, and fireworks on sacred Native American land in environmentally-dangerous circumstances; oh yeah…and there’s the… Read More
Steven’s the younger brother, the baby of our family. He just had a birthday, one of the many that are turning him into an aging baby…still the youngest though, and you know how they are…the babies/little brothers/littlest kids…really cute, but spoiled, right? And sometimes you wonder if they’ll ever grow out of a certain amount of coyness… Steve, I didn’t want to bring this up on your birthday but… about that toilet… Read More
I’m cheating…this post was written in 2020 but it feels more 2019-like. Except for including Scott’s 60th birthday preview…and he would vehemently deny being a year older than his already advanced age. What is wrong with me…cannot seem to finish 2019…tonight I must. A few words, a few photos and 2019 will truly go away. Fini. Exhausted. Done and Dusted. All that. My family and friends and work are fine. Except for… Read More
…and sorry, the serious travel blogging won’t start until the next post. This one’s all about me and September’s bout of angst…travel angst in this case. I promise next post there will be photos of plov. Tuesday morning. Practically packed. New city walking shoes (Tashkent), big warm sweatshirt coat-like thing (plane), books (everywhere). Flight to Istanbul leaves this evening from LAX, change planes with a few hours layover, then on to Tashkent…. Read More
My grandson Steven and Ashley, his best buddy and true love of several years, were married on June 6th in front of San Diego’s City Hall. The event was followed by a scrumptious family dinner at the bride’s parents’ home and a most lavish and lively reception for the rest of the world the following day. There…you have the outline of two beautifully significant days in the history of the Yang-Halsey and… Read More
When I was a kid we went visiting. Over to the neighbors, over to the friends, maybe further away to visit the cousins. Visiting consisted firstly of serious amounts of coffee and ‘lunch.’ Usually the latter included sandwiches (white bread, luncheon meat, cheese, butter, jam), sauce (home canned fruits of many kinds), cookies, and cake (the cake having been quickly put together and into the oven after the company arrived) and… Read More
Terri’s been a horsewoman her whole life, roping and barrel racing and like events on quarter horses and now trail riding with Dandy, her Tennessee Walker, a most gorgeous animal. Her grandchildren are eager to hang out and become the next generation of riders. It’s encouraging to see kids and horses so happy with each other. Photos aren’t great but they’ll do what photos do best…take one back to a moment in… Read More