Graduation

Whew! We are back home and loving it. Buddy is glued to me and Milo is nestled up-side-down on my lap. No one can give him a rub like I can. Somehow we missed the annual cotton storm produced by the neighbor's Cottonwood tree. A big windstorm supposedly blew it all away. We cannot believe our good fortune.

Michele's Mimosas

A few weeks ago we headed off to Ames, Iowa to celebrate our niece Michelle's graduation at Iowa State. The first in the Lopez lineage to be so accomplished. Mom and dad were in heaven. Grandpa and Grandma, actually in heaven, would also be proud. As each grad received their diploma, the announcer recited a short statement written by that grad. Many announced he or she had accepted a certain job. Despite the fact Michelle had landed a great job in Kansas City, her announcement was to give thanks to her devoted mom and supportive dad. We all had moist eyes. Dad Ron hosted a dinner that night and there were no restrictions. We also enjoyed meeting Ron's sister and her husband. They are our new headquarters for North Carolina.

At the coffee house - Michelle loves her mommy.

Chef Steve's Special Burgers

Then off to Deerfield Beach where we visited our friend Steve for four days. It was our first time in Florida and we were properly introduced to Steve's haunts. Calamari and wine right off the bat at Two Georges at the Cove and eventually grouper and Falling Off The Porch Sangria at Enigma, a Cuban restaurant.  A link to Steve's fine photography is  here. We explored an attraction that was new even to Steve that had a boardwalk through some virgin Florida forest land. There we climbed a post and platform structure that I thought swayed more than rickety towers we built as boy scouts. It got us above the tree canopy. My legs were paralyzing with vertigo but Steve and Dix were loose as kids leaning against the low railings. We got the real flavor of laid back Florida life back at Steve's place. 24-hour a day fans and soft classical music (Steve said he likes to get his money's worth out of Sirius).  Spectacular daily thunderstorms awakened us from our naps. Steve whipped up a delicious egg frittata and pitchers of Margaritas served in tiny cocktail glasses that were too easy to lose count. I finally got my feet wet in the ocean on our last day there. At first it felt a little cool but when a wave finally knocked me off balance, I found the water to be very refreshing. That is until I swallowed some and a jellyfish strand or something got my big toe. Revenge of the sea for eating all that seafood.

The Porchmeister

Mass with Cardinal from Rome - Don in grad gown lower right

Back home one week to regroup for another trip to Denver to celebrate brother Don receiving a Master of Arts in Pastoral Theology at the Agustine Institute. Ad Sum! was the cry of each graduate as their name was called to receive their diploma. I gave Don the book Lamb - the Gospel of Biff, Christ's Boyhood Friend by Christopher Moore. I thought the book was pretty funny but he appreciated it even more, getting much liturgical humor that went over my head. It should help him get through his long flight to visit the Vatican with his wife Lyn and a group of religious scholars.