Bob and Deb’s Anniversary Party

All six siblings gathered for my father’s funeral in 2023. Since then, family visits have been sporadic and incomplete, like the last time we went birdwatching with Michael, or when we met Joe, Jim, and Kathryn at the beach last fall, or when John and Darla stopped by on their way home from Florida in February.

Bob and Deb’s thirty-fifth wedding anniversary gave us an excuse to see most everyone in one place. Joe flew into Pennsylvania from California, Taylor and Theresa from Utah, and the rest of us drove in.

Brother Bob put together a photographic history of their lives, and we had fun finding our youthful selves in the pictures.

It was a relaxed atmosphere. We arrived early so some of us could take a stroll, but were soon turned back by a cloudburst to sprawl across the sofa, nibble at carrots and dip, examine the story boards, and tell each other funny stories.

My niece, Theresa, entertained me with talk about the challenges she faces in her work. During the winter, she serves as an EMT on ski patrol along with some hospitality. In the off-season she does fire prevention work. She said that she is more at home on skis or in workboots with a chainsaw than catering to priveleged tourists.

Our hosts, Bob and Deb, went to great lengths to host their this gathering and were pleased when everything fell into place.

When it was time, we helped ourselves to salad, pasta with two kinds of sauce, two kinds of meat, rolls, and a good selection of desserts. I mixed both the white and red sauce when I returned for seconds, and it was so good I don’t know why I don’t always make two sauces.

I thought of my mother and how she would mix leftover spaghetti sauce into one of two pans of macaroni and cheese and put both, baked to steaming, on the dinner table. The flavor of the mixed sauces made me feel as if Mom was right beside me, thrilled to see so many of us together.

 

BOB’S PORTRAIT GALLERY

Bob enjoys taking portraits with his 56mm lens. He always asks permission, and few hesitate for long before warming up to the idea. He puts people at ease and captures candid smiles.

JOHN AND DARLA’S

We stopped at John and Darla’s the day before the anniversary party. Darla prepared an extensive Taco Bar with produce grown by her cousin next door. Most of us saved room for apple pie.

Charity joined us on her lunch break with her two youngest, Alex and Joel. Her husband, Jason, stopped by later to pick up their boys after Charity returned to work, but we didn’t get his picture because we were busy lounging and because he was in his mechanic’s clothes.