T-burg diaspora, etc.

Diaspora

We are enjoying a quiet Thanksgiving visit to Austin. Via Facebook I connected with a former T-burger, Dan Gill. Dan used to walk down the hill with his family many summer days to Taughannock State Park, in New York. The famous feature of the park was the falls, a beautiful hanging valley falls sited in a shady, shale gorge along Cayuga Lake. But the beach was active, too, with swimmers of all ages.

Dan's Mom and Dad were interesting figures in their own right. They provided one of my first experiences of different lifestyles. The two of them were involved with poetry and a small printing business, but our involvement went further. I used to sit with Dan's Mom, Elaine, on breaks from lifeguarding at the park, listening to her talk about life. She had wide interests, from language to lifestyles and beyond. She brought another bit of intellectual stimulation to my life.

There were several ties with the Gills over the years. Dan became a good friend of my younger brother John. Dan's Dad, John, worked as a synchrotron operator at the nuclear physics lab where my Dad spent 35 years as a technician and manager. Dan continues to maintain ties to some of my old acquaintances and friends from high school.

This trip I got in touch with Dan Gill via Facebook and met him for coffee. He mentioned that his Mom is in a nursing home in Austin, so I suggested a visit. She looked marvelous, with a glowing cap of white hair. She did not recognize me, but I instantly recognized her. The short visit took me back a long time.

Young people

Heather and her Dan (Poore) are fine, ready to get married in December. A good deal of this trip was consumed playing with and reacting to their puppy, Pepper (Pickapepper Poore). She is a black Lab mix, with a beautiful face. She still has some puppy in her, but has grown quite a bit since they got her. She likes to slobber and "bite" hands and sniff and wiggle. Sometimes she is quiet enough to snuggle, but usually it turns active. She has quite a personality. She "talks" to you if you ignore her for too long. It's kind of a growly sort of voice, letting you know she is important, too. This has been lots of fun.

This time we haven't been as active as on other trips. Dan and Heather are working and going to school at the same time (Heather for nursing; Dan for graphic design). This limited their available time, so we didn't go out as much as usual. They are both doing extremely well in school, so we are proud. This is a difficult time in everyone's life. They are good examples, though, performing under fire with grace. They make a good couple.