I feel like I haven't blogged in forever! We've been so busy!
Jason's stepsister and her husband arrived last Friday morning and spent two days with us, before they headed off Sunday morning to surprise her dad in South Jersey for Father's Day! I so would have loved to be a fly on the wall for that! What a great surprise!
It was wonderful to see them and hang out! With the exception of his dad and brother, Jason's family lives in California. His stepsister's mom is married to Jason's dad. Jason's stepmom and stepsis were both born in Brooklyn, but his stepmom had been relocated (because of her job) to California after her divorce from his stepsister's dad; his stepmom met and married his dad in California. Ellie's dad moved from Brooklyn to South Jersey 20 years ago, and she often comes out to spend time with her father.
Even though they are not blood brother and sister, Jason and Ellie have a TON in common. She's eight years younger than Jason and honestly, up until now, those 8 years kind of made a difference. She was graduating college when we were starting a family.
Now Eleanor is married and contemplating starting a family. It was great to spend time with her and her husband. She is a teacher (she came East the day after school got out to surprise her dad for Father's Day!) and her husband manages a Whole Foods in Southern California. They are both very open-minded, progressive thinkers and the conversation always flows - the kind that goes with wine until the wee hours of the morning and then starts all over again the next morning over coffee! I LOVE that kind of thing! We hung out, cooked together (and agreed that cooking together bonds people!), took tons of photos and drank a few bottles of wine. We talked about going to the city or Philly or the beach, but in the end just being together and talking and hanging out seemed a better way to spend our time together. We are so glad that they stayed with us for two days and we got to spend that time with them!!
It was wonderful to see them and hang out! With the exception of his dad and brother, Jason's family lives in California. His stepsister's mom is married to Jason's dad. Jason's stepmom and stepsis were both born in Brooklyn, but his stepmom had been relocated (because of her job) to California after her divorce from his stepsister's dad; his stepmom met and married his dad in California. Ellie's dad moved from Brooklyn to South Jersey 20 years ago, and she often comes out to spend time with her father.
Even though they are not blood brother and sister, Jason and Ellie have a TON in common. She's eight years younger than Jason and honestly, up until now, those 8 years kind of made a difference. She was graduating college when we were starting a family.
Now Eleanor is married and contemplating starting a family. It was great to spend time with her and her husband. She is a teacher (she came East the day after school got out to surprise her dad for Father's Day!) and her husband manages a Whole Foods in Southern California. They are both very open-minded, progressive thinkers and the conversation always flows - the kind that goes with wine until the wee hours of the morning and then starts all over again the next morning over coffee! I LOVE that kind of thing! We hung out, cooked together (and agreed that cooking together bonds people!), took tons of photos and drank a few bottles of wine. We talked about going to the city or Philly or the beach, but in the end just being together and talking and hanging out seemed a better way to spend our time together. We are so glad that they stayed with us for two days and we got to spend that time with them!!
Jason's favorite things are plants, taking photos of plants and trying restaurants that are highly rated or featured on the Travel channel or Food Network. Jason had been part of an educational seminar at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden last fall and has been dying to go back and really explore the place. That was how he wanted to spend Father's Day! And it tied in beautifully with our Botany lessons! Jason did some research and the best pizza (New Yorkers take their pizza seriously) in Brooklyn was Grimaldi's Pizza, where we waited on line for an hour--and it was sooo worth it!
I have HUNDREDS of photos to edit from this weekend!
I have HUNDREDS of photos to edit from this weekend!
After such a busy three days, Jason decided to make it a four day weekend. I am a huge Springsteen fan. We were so busy this past weekend, that I didn't hear of Clarence Clemons passing until Monday morning and I have been beside myself ever since. It may sound strange to feel this way about someone I've never met, but The E Street band has been a BIG part of my life since I was twelve years old. I can't imagine never hearing Clarence play his sax again. My husband is such a beautiful, giving person and he knew what I needed. We spent a few hours yesterday placing flowers in front of the Stone Pony, hugging strangers and talking about concerts. Then we took the girls to the Sprayground in Colt's Neck. I knew that eventually my fanaticism for Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band would make it into a post. I wrote a little tribute here: RIP Clarence Clemons.
I have tons of photos to watermark and edit, but I just have not felt like it yet.
