The Absent Uncle: It’s a visit

By the time you read this in your weekly Brandon Valley Journal, I will be back in the Houston area after making a trek back to Minnesota and visiting your area.

I decided to have my other knee replaced in early July and needed to make travel plans to see my siblings and friends in Minnesota prior to the surgery. I sat down with the calendar, flight schedules, looking at what I wanted to accomplish with a visit and then checking the other ends’ schedules to see what might work.

At this point in the trip, it has worked out to perfection. The planning, the visits, and the good times just could not have been better. The Absent Uncle has been able to see nine of 11 nieces or nephews (apologies to the other two), eet up and spend quality time with all my siblings, have a good time with three special cousins, and five of my Marshall High School graduation classmates!

That almost might make me retitle my column from “The Absent Uncle” to the very fortunate embraced guy traveling through. As part of this visit, I followed up on my threat to visit my fearless/peerless editor and niece, Jill Meier, and so drove over from Minnesota to visit her. I so enjoyed my time in Brandon – you have a very vibrant progressive community! So green, with the parks, planned activities, amenities, and friendly people.  It was great.

As I get older, I just realize how precious this time can be. I met the granddaughter of a nephew during this visit for the first time. Her name was Faye. I walked into her grandpa’s house and met her – she sized me up – and luckily (for me) her 4-year-old self – decided to make me her friend. She crawled up into my lap, drew me picture of me and the coffee cup I was holding.

I don’t know if I have ever felt so special. 

This trip was meaningful in so many ways. Times spent, words exchanged, places seen, being with my brother and sisters I’ve known all my life – and that I realize I know I will have to say good-bye to maybe in the not-too-distant future. But thank you Faye, tomorrow is there with new friends.