TGIF: Making traditions

Great grandson Philip, lime green cast conspicuous, plays hide-and-seek under the new umbrella his Gran E gave him!

Another Friday rolls around, another week, and Elissa, Julia and Philip come for dinner at Casa de Mama. It's becoming a tradition, this four-generation, end-of- the- week gathering. We have pizza, the usual, and Philip plays with the treasure box, one-handed, discovering the new toys left behind just for him by cousins Josh and Kyle. He loves surprises.

Granddaughter Julia gets here first so we have a chance to catch up on her work (she works for a large nursing home complex) and what's going on in her life. At 23 years of age, she is a great mom and conscientious worker, and I'm learning how knowledgeable and thoughtful she is about current events, too. She's also thinking about the future and what will be best for her son Philip. Next year he'll be five and starting kindergarten. She wants good schools for him and lots of positive motivation and activities. She’s getting a big promotion and a pay raise, and she feels good about that, if cautious about what the pay raise means and what the new management duties will be like. She is a steady force and role model in our lives.

At the end of the day, we bask in the light of a beautiful sunset and a stunning full moon rise due East. The rain and grayness have dissipated. Philip runs about seemingly unencumbered by his cast, up and down stairs, around the backyard, jumping over logs, plunging here and there. Our fearless active boy! It's a nice end to a lovely day. It feels good to enjoy the moment, to create new family traditions, to bask in the glow of nature and the energy of our brave Philip. TGIF is taking on new meaning!