A Few Weeks Later...

How well do we know our family's past, history and heritage? My grandmother Doris Hamblin passed away last week and though, of course, it is a very sad occasion for the family I know she is in a better place. She struggled for the last 10 years or so with Alzheimer's and found daily life very challenging as most of the wiring that guides her (and our) every day activities had all but vanished... I can't imagine how difficult it was for her. What was so enlightening though was how she was able to hold on to memories from long ago - growing up on the farm with her brothers and sisters, and hanging out with friends at the lake. I loved seeing her black and white pictures, the old school bathing suits and poses... and knowing that we share something more than genetics... Having lived in many different countries and in different societies/cultures... I know that all across the board humans feel the same emotions.. seems very clear and obvious but.. sometimes it's not. It's neat to think about her growing up with her group of friends, going to the lake, joking around... and that there is an interconnectedness there with my life and my friends. So... as I was saying at the beginning.. how well do we know our own history? There are so many stories that make us who we are... so much to explore.

On another note, we just got back from a trip to Thessaloniki where we ate too much, drank too much, and second-hand smoked too much... there is no respect for non-smokers here, which is very sad because kids are exposed to it relentlessly. I'll have to snap some pics of the play/daycare place next to my gym... there is a cloud of smoke hanging in there that never dissipates. It's disgusting. Not much else is new here, we are trying to figure out when the season will be over for Steve and hopefully find a few days to visit an island and soak up some sun before we head home. They need to win on Saturday or they're relegated to play downs... which would be a catastropha! because it would most likely mean that everyone is out of luck for the last four paychecks, doh. We're looking forward to Easter - it's the biggest holiday in Greece and we hear the festivities are not to be missed. Apparently the spit is fired up around 7am on Sunday, and the poor little lamby is roasted all day long. It may push me over the edge to vegetarianism. A bientot...