Jul 1, 2009

VACATION ALERT:¨One never knows where the nose goes¨ Sir Charles Benjamin, Beverly Hills and beyond! REGULAR UPDATES!


I´m off!

I mean, I´m ¨off¨ on a Holiday/work trip!

I´m off to see the Wizards, of Cross, Fisher, Woods, VanGoey and Clark extended families! There are so many really talented folks it´s hard for me to narrow it down but I can GLADLY tell you that I´m looking forward to several weeks of adventures on the West Coast and then on to the Midwest and more visiting of dear friends.

I´ll try and keep you posted as I discover the many wonderous things that are certain to unfold before me.

First off, one of the beautiful parts of being from a very large English-American family is that we keep discovering one another. There are many more of than ever imagined as literally dozens and dozens of cool cousins are yet to be met! This past year my lovely, talented, and the fabulously endearing daughter of my sister has been doing lots of family research and reuniting many of us who had drifted apart...so, the beginning of my holiday will be a especially heartwarming gathering as I get to know some family members, some of which I´ve not ever met before!

Then off to Chicagoland and then to Indiana to visit my much admired, and longest term, and surviving, accomplice in adult life antics (don´t forget we were from ¨the make love not war¨ generation). When we were quite young she and I literally traveled the world (often, spontaneously without planning but with Passport in hand and hangover in head) and often discovered some little known facts about some never to be seen again trouble makers like us!

Easy does it! Steady, I´m coming in for a landing.

A visit to Wisconsin has been long overdue as another great, and long-term, friend has invited me repeatedly to visit her and enjoy the ¨Summer magic in rural Wisconsin¨...complete with her own little lake where we will swim and bake!

Lot´s of visiting and renewing of friendships and once again I will ALSO meet up with six other friends and we will work together for a little over a week...it´s our annual version of our very own ¨custom work party¨ and it´s FUN! It´s fine dining with Golden Boys Club (we really are the best) every night and we meet in a different major U.S. City every year!

Three cheers for Summertime!

Enjoy!

UPDATE, JULY THIRD:

FIRST STOP, A REPORT FROM OREGON, it's gorgeous here and the weather is really, hot! 4th of July activities everywhere and the everyone seems especially festive (in the face of the economic difficulties that are very present here)...off to dinner! More later! I wonder what TEC Delegates and Bishops are conjuring up in Anaheim?

It's so odd. We have few African decended people where I live in Central America (most folks are indigenous heritage) and here I'm interacting with many African Americans...I keep wanting to HUG them and bring up pro-topics about our fantastic new President...so far, I've been able to just SMILE and act normal, well, sort of normal, instead of jumping up and down for joy for them and for ALL MANKIND...finally we've taken a important step in destroying discrimination, fear and hate...only I can't just blurt that out to passing strangers! Smiling is nice but hugging is better.

I'm looking forward to seeing my sister too and she and her husband are joining me here for a few...it's soon her birthday and she's the Mother of wonderful kids, grandmother of many and a Great Grandmother!

·Thanks to Flickr Photosharing

13 comments:

motheramelia said...

Sounds absolutely wonderful. Have a great time. Getting back together with relatives and old friends is golden.

Leonard said...

Thanks Mother/Father,

YOU ENJOY, Vienna too

Göran Koch-Swahne said...

Happy travels!

Bonnie said...

Hi Leonardo--It's you--the unusual and the nicely different. Happy travels.

I love Wisconsin and spent a few years there swimming, water skiing, and canoeing. (But, what else would you expect from a Pisces.)

June Butler said...

Leo, have a lovely time during your visit to the US, renewing and forming new family relationships.

Kirkepiscatoid said...

Do keep us posted! Also, when you get a minute, stop by my blog and see my new template...I think you're gonna like it!

Bonnie said...

Hi Leonardo--I totally relate to your feelings about our African-American brothers and sisters. And these days, so many of them smile back when I smile at them--I'll take that for a hug. This is a beautiful thing. But, real hugs would be very good indeed.

Cany said...

sounds wonderful and refreshing, Leonardo! wish I was there!

have a safe and lovely (and criminally fun) trip!

Leonard said...

I saw Forever Plaid "20th Year Anniversary" Special at 500+ Movie theatres tonight...there was a special section roped off in the theatre for family (some came from California) in Portland because two of the cast members are our relatives (one by Gay California marriage)...it was great!

More as I progress...hopefully I'll have time to work on the blog.

Abrazos, all!

Leonardo

Lynn said...

Leonardo, dear...it's good to hear that you are having too much fun to blog. I'm hoping that makes sense!

Leonard said...

Dear Lynn and friends...I'm traveling all over the place and this weekend will go visit a great friend who has her own little lake up in the Wisconsin woods...all is well, happy as a clam...can't wait to read the Episcopal Church reports as I haven't seen any news for over a week...fingers crossed, I proceed.

Love to all,
Len

David G. said...

Hope you are enjoying the Beauty of the North ...eh?
Upper Wisc. and Upper MI, are quite close together. I grew up in Upper Mi., that's why I'm so twisted...lol.

It's a great place to visit, but unless you are connected, making a living wage is almost impossible in that area.

Bonnie said...

Hi Leonardo--I saw your post over at TTLS. welcome home, you have been missed and I want to hear all about the fun you have been having without us.