The Oz Paradox

Yesterday, Lisa celebrated her birthday, 12/30, at the same time that our lovely Oz English-Australian DIL, Georgie, celebrated hers, in Oz, on 12/31.

That’s Luke , Savanna, Georgie, Auntie Anita, Aunty Liz, mother Sarah and Father Nigel, with Cairo, Stella and Scarlett up front.

However, I had to flip that photo right-side-up because it was taken at the bottom of the earth where everything is topsy-turvy.

So, at the end of the day, Lisa Face-Timed our upside-down family and warm birthday wishes were exchanged instantaneously on screen over the 8K plus miles between us, while I simultaneously sent a healthy Amazon gift card (Georgie loves Amazon) through the Internet. Modern Technology is a wonderful thing.

Lisa had fun chatting with the granddaughters as well. Scarlett and Savanna were determined to bring some US entrepreneurial spirit to the land down under with their Lemonade Stand. Good luck ladies.

Do Kangaroos drink lemonade? Is it me, or does Savanna have a “Children of the Corn” stare?

But it had been a day of distances, as Lisa and I had made the 121 mile trip (each way) in our Toyota through the mountains to Breckenridge, where we enjoyed a wonderful day with my daughter Jackie, her son Lucian and her husband Zack.

I also got to hang with their mysterious cat, Floki.

I could feel this creature scanning the deepest recesses of my mind.

The family shared a few meals, played some board games, and later, while Lisa, Jackie and Zack walked from their mountainside chalet into the quaint town below, Lucian and I hung out and had a great conversation whereupon I got to bestow my grandfatherly wisdom while he impressed the shit out of me with his own, old-soul wisdom in his 11 year old form. The family is in good hands.

Then Loosh and I watched a string of family guy episodes as I marveled how he was able to instantly enjoy all of the rude adult humor that I was pissing myself over, including a Michael Douglas character reference as to how he got throat cancer. Kids today!

When the adults in the room returned, we played a new, fun and fast-moving dice-driven board game called Left, Right, Center. I highly recommend it to everyone.

I was the only one not to win any of the twelve raucous rounds. Charlie Brown has nothing on me.

Then Lucian and I played a head-to-head match of chess.

I would love to say that I handily beat this 11 year old progeny, but I was lucky to come away with a desperate chase-across-the-board stale mate.

The fucker kept taunting me with “I thought you are a lawyer,” and “Wow, and I’m only eleven.”

Those wise ass genes were certainly surfacing.

Then we snapped some photos – Lisa refuses to be caught on camera, which only supports my theory that those new eyes belong to a Vampire – but I managed to collect the following selfies.

Lucian:

Well that wasn’t actually a selfie, so. . .

Jackie:

And my favorite son-in-law, who exhibits remarkable Elven features, Zack:

If I won a Pulitzer or Nobel for my books, it would not give me the pleasure that the legacy of my family provides me on a daily basis. I am truly blessed.

Oh, Lisa also Face-Timed Veronica and “b” to thank them for a truly magnificent arrangement of flowers that was waiting on the front porch when we returned from Brecky. Thank you sisters.

If you ever need to send flowers in NoCo, Longmont Florists is amazing. https://www.longmontflorist.com/

The third branch of our line of the the McCaffrey Clan tree, Mark and Sara, are out protecting the streets of mid-town Gotham during this crazy New Year’s Eve weekend, and we hope to catch up with them on New Year’s Day. God bless the Blue – NYPD – and all first responders during these tumultuous times.

Well, here we are at the end of yet another wonderful year.

I hope my fine, five readers get to spend it with those family and friends that bring you the most joy and happiness.

Reach out to those outside of your presence to let them know they are always in your heart.

I’m now going to head out and cuddle some kitties and do my final rounds for the year.

Whatever we have planned for when the ball drops, stay safe, be happy, love, and let us make today a great one.

Oh, and belated happy birthday wishes to my two BILs Terry Sacca 12/24, and Gary Evans 12/30. You guys rock.