Chasing Ideals

I cannot explain my recent inability to put words to paper though the activity continues to bring great joy to this fellow. Two years in a row now my wonderful Lord provided a way that during birthday, holiday time there might still include the joy and familiarity of my own family. The time with Tara, Floyd, and Faolan while being and feeling like a whirlwind visit nevertheless encouraged my heart in innumberable ways. It was of course a reminder of the strength and joy of my friendship with Tara. Of the ease of time and connection with all three that included afternoons of lazing about in conversation and rest all the while watching Faolan in all his joy and exuberance of life exploring all. This experience also for the first time allowed for a connection of my life of the last twenty four years with that of the start of my twenty fifth. I for the first time in this place was host and tour guide and given a reason to explore more of the surroundings. To once again put miles on the old beast of a Citroen which has taken to smelling like a mouse's home, as Tara can attest that it seems a mouse has attempted residency therein. There is something unmistakeable about the wonder of time with those who shared formative years of one's life and who have seen in my case a wealth of transitions.

I haven't the words today to say much in this post but would like to share the activity of the days. Recovering from exhaustion was the name of the game early on, in fact for much of the first week with the joy of much snow, kulig (Polish tradition that I attempted first in February with the added joy this time of swallowing large quantities of brown snow while laying on my blow up sled with face inches from the ground), and sledding on pure ice mixed in. Later in the week we four set out (often with accompaniment of one of the kids here) on ventures to wander each of the nearby cities of Gdynia, Sopot, and Gdansk and one of the days also to visit what is said to be the largest castle in the world, Malbork. Malbork being the old stronghold of the Teutonic Knights and a massive symbol of the long German presence in the area. Of course back at the homestead there was the experience of the homemade brews and plethora of the local sausage and on Floyd's last night the hot to frigid sauna experience. After Floyd's departure activity slowed drastically including only a few visits and jaunts in the name of furry boot purchasing. For Tara and I as the best of friends a few days of lolly gagging, speaking of the higher matters of family and life, and enjoying the wonder of Faolan's youth was a treasure.

I don't know what to say of how soon I will post again. I have yet to figure what I would like to make of this site in the face of more normal life now. I am committed to this being a winter that includes plenty of self development in the form of learning and reopening the chasms of this brain that transitions to adulthood have attempted to squash. After the new year there are places and people that must be visited prior to my next journey back to the States and the birth of Tara's number two.

Three new albums are up, the first from my marvelous trip to Warsaw before Tara's arrival and of my friends' there beautiful new baby Gabrysia. The other two are of the activity of these past two weeks though slightly disorganized because the pictures came from two sources. Any of you with ideas on what in semi normal living time I could make of this blog should tell all.