California, Here I Come

March 26 is the day. I'll be flying out of Dayton to Oakland with a stopover in Denver, and will return on the 31st. The goal is to attend a 50th wedding anniversary party for my cousin Charlie and his wife Phyllis in Santa Rosa.

I have to make the trip alone, since my partner in crime can't get the time off from his job, but it will still be a good trip. I hadn't seen Charlie and Phyllis for about 40 years when we got together in San Francisco a year ago, and the last time I saw his younger brother Don was at my mother's memorial service 17 years ago. It will be good to see them again, and to see all of their grown up children -- and the grandchildren, too.

Seems funny to have cousins who are grandparents of teenagers, when my only child is just 22.

There will not be many of us at the anniversary celebration who were actually present at the wedding, but I'll be one of them.

Some wine country touring is also in order. It would have been more fun to do it with a traveling companion, but it will still be worth doing.