Post 28/2024 New Hamburg Ontario. The weather portended a storm. We left a day early for the seven-hour drive to southwestern Ontario. Right choice. On Wednesday we sat inside at our destination and watched the rain, torrentially at times, tumble down.

We came to celebrate brother Willard’s milestone birthday. It was planned as a surprise and succeeded as a surprise–with plenty of subterfuge (aka lies) masking the plans. Will had planned to host a fairly modest affair later that day but was surreptitiously outmaneuvered. He and all the rest had a very fine time.

The party took place on Saturday, July 11. Appetizers included cheese, seafood, cold cuts, and salads, followed later in the afternoon by grilled sausage on a bun, followed still later by Black Forest cake.

We had encore fixings on Sunday evening. Memorable time. One is grateful for all the goodness one reaps for body, mind and soul in such gatherings, here with the interaction of three generations. I learned about school, graduations, new jobs, old jobs, hobbies, sports, summer camp coming up, church, retirement living, Et cetera. Just being together goes a long way to making time count.

Happy Birthday, Will! It’s raining today, but nothing dampens the goodness of the road ahead.

-John