Bubble an' Squeak

July 3-7 Per tradition, my siblings and I gathered together with our parents. This year we had a project in Dad’s garage. Two of my mom’s brothers joined us, and my cousin, Stephanie. Representing grandkids were my boys, and my nephew Kevin and his partner/fiancee, Sam. Uncle Bill & my Mom We did a little Fort Tuthill music for the Fourth. It was lovely  And then we got to work. It was a dusty job. We all had a role. Sam’s was definitely holding Dad’s cat. There was running in the heat, lots of cooking, talking, and catching up. It was great to see my siblings and parents. We already have plans for next year.  

Our last night in Seville was one of those magical nights that you never want to end because they are so perfect.  England won the soccer, we found the bull restaurant with the delicious artichokes that I love, and the weather was perfect. Nic indulged on ox tails and sardines for his last Spanish meal. He was so happy. Wanting the night to linger, we sat in the square beside the Cathedral and listened to locals play. Everything about that night was magical. It was almost midnight when we wandered back to the hotel. Knowing we had a long day of driving ahead of us, the next day, we reluctantly we went to bed. Some things in Spain, like the Continental Breakfasts in our hotels just need memorializing. Day’s Inn breakfasts will never quite feel sufficient going forward. We have been ruined, America.  I loaded up on food knowing we had a long drive and knowing who Nic and I are as people, I knew I had to make this breakfast count. Nic was really full from all of the ox tails. The...

 June 30 The bad news is that I did not meet Ricky Martin. I am 90% sure I saw his security detail with their walkie talkies, but I did not take pictures of them because it seemed rude, and not like real evidence anyway. More bad news: Tomorrow is our last day in Europe.  In better news we spent today at the Seville Cathedral. It is the third largest Cathedral in the world. It felt massive on the inside.Nic and I spent several hours wandering the various side alters, back rooms, and sitting in the wonder of the main cathedral. We wandered up the bell tower to very top and peered down on Seville. In the soft light of the cathedral, and among the hushed voices, a sense of awe pervades the space. Throughout this trip we have seen former mosques, lots of churches, places of prayer and sacrifice. In each ot these spaces the human interaction with the divine, or the seeking of the divine is palpable. It leads me back to my word of the year: Seek. I have been seeking answers to quest...