Flags

Late afternoon, recently, Aidan and I went over to one of the parks so he could kick the soccer ball around some more and improve his moves with his new smart soccer ball and read its findings on his smartphone. While he practiced and I read, young men began gathering in the approximate same area and were practicing and among the shouts and chatter there were no English words. Spanish words here and there, but not quite Spanish. Portuguese? Soon, three or four of the younger ones gathering were in conference with Aidan and his smart equipment. The youngest kid spoke English Aidan later reported, saying also that it is the first time he had an interpreter.

That's Aidan in the small group on the left in conference.

This energetic group of young men invited Aidan to play a game with them--
Shirts vs Shirtless.

After a morning and afternoon of cello and soccer, Aidan fell asleep before supper...

Lionel Messi rules the walls and the back of Aidan's shirt.

Sitting here this morning with coffee and breakfast on the back porch/deck I am enjoying the connection with Paula in Tucson. She sent a lovely photo she made of the "Pink Cactus" that has so prolifically bloomed and produced pups for over a decade now. It's wonderful to see this desert plant survive so beautifully.

Their cousins are blooming in my friend Gloria's front yard in Tucson, too.

Porch meditations:

Toby is Staying

Morning coffee

on the porch

is beginning to end

for me

Toby will keep watch

it's his domain.

His claim

goes beyond that now

he patrols the woods

the fencelines

the man-pen goat pen

where he hangs out

and of course the big red barn.

Toby the condocat

shape-shifts into a dog

sometimes...

just now he lies beside me

purring.

He will stay and I will go

his habits

have traveled

changed

new hunter skills

are honed

he is ready

and so am I.

And, maybe sometimes Sebastian morphs into a cat...

An email also brought sad news of the last of Boyd's flight crew now deceased. Radioman Mickey. Boyd, Mickey, and Bill were very much on my mind as Aidan and I drove along our town's streets from the soccer field yesterday afternoon. Clusters of vehicles crowded many driveways, lawns, and roadways as people gathered here and there to barbeque, play and visit. We both admired these flags posted along a roadway in town.

A salute to Boyd, Mickey, Bill, the rest of the crew in the 489th Bomb Group--unforgotten but now gone, and all those fine people who stepped up willing to give all for all. I salute you.