Happiness is Julia Watching

To be specific; Happiness is watching Julia watching birds. She spotted two new birds for her lifetime bird list. I felt like I had scored a home run. I think I was more excited than Julia.

Happiness is a bit of sons, a bit of Connor, a bit of book club, a bit of movies, a bit of Jan, a bit of drives, a bit of sitting, a bit of organ recital -- her hip my knee -- plus a few other aging complaints: ears, eyes, gait, need I go on.

Happiness is pacing myself as a concession to aging. Not going too far or hard. A Camano Island trip, and a Olympic Peninsular trip paced is a wonderful thing.

Happiness is watching Julia watch Connor show her the correct way to enter a walking trail at Mill Creek Town Center. You start at the beginning NOT in the middle of the trail, thank you very much.

Happiness is watching Connor discuss the blue dots in the hand sanitizer. "What are they for?" Then extracting two of the specs to inspect them on the tip of his finger. Passing them to the tip of my finger and then making me pass them to Julia's finger for inspection and discussion.

Happiness is watching my three energetic, talkative, animated sons entertain Julia at a sons dinner.

Happiness is introducing two of my three sons to the staff at one of Ian's and my favorite restaurants and forgetting to introduce Julia. Yes, I paid for it with scorn from all three of my son's.

Happiness is listening to my three son's tell Julia she is a good specimen of a human being, a wonderful aunt, a stellar bird watcher, a great trail walker, a fine family member, and a terrific Washington guest -- but -- AUNT JEAN makes chocolate chip cookies, thank you very much.

Happiness is sharing Julia at book club where she entered into the discussion with gusto. And yes, Jean, she agrees with you, it is more of a social club then a book club. I quote: "It took two hours to finally start talking about the book."

Happiness was introducing her to Mary, Claire, Sandy and Lynn.

Happiness is Mary, Claire, Sandy and Lynn.

Happiness is picking Julia up at the airport and going to Spuds for lunch. The tradition continues.

Happiness is ferry riding, car driving, Roosevelt elk, The Chestnut Cottage, deer, Cresent Lake in all it's glory, Camano Island and bird chasing. Birds are slippery little devils, they never sit still.

Julia had never been to the Olympic Peninsular or The Chestnut Cottage. Our breakfast was divine. Julia ordered the specialty mimosa with her breakfast and the waitress asked if she wanted it split so we could share. I answered for Julia and said, YES, we would like it split. It came in two perfect sugar rimmed champagne flutes with a perfect strawberry sitting on top. Tropical Sunrise Mimosa with guava juice, strawberry syrup, I don't know if it had orange juice. It was divine. Thank you Julia.

Happiness is glorious weather, not too hot for me or too cool for Julia.

Happiness was the tiniest amount of misty rain possible in the Olympic Rain Forest. It always seems appropriate to have rain in the rain forest.

Happiness is knees not hurting, and Julia doing doing the 1 1/2 mile hike to Marymere falls and everything working pretty darn good after all her issues with hips and ankle.

Happiness is waiting for Julia to hike the Marymere Falls trail.

Happiness is being one of the last six cars loaded on the 4:40 PM ferry, when we just knew we wouldn't make it.

Happiness is a daughter, sending a mom, to a sister for a visit.

Happiness is family, friends, traditions, and new experiences all rolled into one sweet trip. I repeat, happiness is family, friends, book club, adorable Connor, three sons -mine, and a daughter -- Julia's, good food, good conversation, good book club discussion, good drives, good birding.

Happiness is Julia admiring my tomato farm, and not complaining about the dust...

Happiness is Julia swooping in, swirling around and whisking away, just like a slippery bird. The hub-bub is over, the energetic son's have departed, Julia is homeward bound. Hell, she is probably already there.

And while I am at it, happiness is a sweet nap when all is done and the home is quiet. Nite, nite.

Happiness is a good sister visit, always a gift I treasure.