I posted a few weeks back about our sailing excursion with Pappy in Saint Pete. I just got my film developed from the Holga 120s I shot with on that day. As always, the plastic camera and 12 year old expired film I shoot on delivers unexpected results.
Trey discovered the front camera on my phone which allows him to see himself as he takes self-portraits. I found dozens and dozens of these sorts of photos on it the other day.
Last weekend Trey and I met my parents in Sweetwater to help out with taking care of Peepaw. He had been in the hospital for about 10 days, was turning 92, and my parents were taking him back north with them so that he could be in an assisted living group home near them. With his weakened physical and mental state, the nine hour drives from Virginia were becoming too frequent and too grueling for my parents and brother.
Having just been released from the hospital and with who knows how much medication in his system, he wasn’t very responsive during the short time we had with him. You’ll notice in the video below that he seems pretty distant and tired.
Back in Macon, Trey recently asked me if Peepaw was dead yet. I replied with “No, did you think he was?” Trey replied with an observation that was impressive for his age, “No, but he’s really old and misses Grammaw. I think he wants to go to heaven.”
Last week we took these photos of Trey after church. He was wearing a blue blazer I used to wear at the same age. The two portraits I have of myself in the blazer were taking in France in early 1986 after my brother was born. I was just about 3-4 months older than Trey is now.
The big question is: who looks better?
…and yes, I get bonus points for the shag rug in my portrait.
On our last day in Florida (New Year’s Day) we met up with our friends the Spans at Demens Landing Park in downtown St. Pete on the bay. The kids played a while on the playground and then we roamed around the edge of the water. It was a bit challenging keeping the younger kids from mimicking the old kids who were more stable on the rocks by the water.
Nothing beats spending New Year’s Eve with good friends. Being in Florida we went to our friends the Randall’s place to celebrate. They’ve sort of become the de-facto hosts for a circle of friends’ annual party (I don’t think they mind too much because they are so awesome).
Heidi’s best friend from high school came with her husband and son who is Trey’s age. Between the two of them, the Randall’s gang of boys, and all the other kids, there was plenty of entertainment.
We had a small scale fireworks show (that still amazed the boys) and by the time the ball dropped all of the kids had passed from exhaustion at various locations throughout the house. Trey managed to hold out the longest but our little Superman finally crashed on the couch.
