But this morning, while soaking in the wafting scent of fresh espresso and at the same time opening the wrapper of a particularly delicious appearing almond and apricot biscotti, I knew there was something -- magical in its mundanity - that I just had to write about. The four things mentioned in the title above.
This morning's blog, then, is in one sense totally personal. But in another it is absolutely universal. Take out my illustrations and replace them with your own and something equally magical will exist. -For each of us, as we go through life, experiences things that are in truth magical. Magical Times. Magical places. Magical foods and magical friends.
Here, then, are some of mine...
Magical Times.
Meeting, falling in love with and then marrying Jan. That would have to top my list!
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| Jan, just turning 18, as she looked when we met. Seeing this photo still makes my heart go aflutter. |
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| At a party my parents held to introduce my new bride to the family. |
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| Early marital bliss. |
The birth of our beloved son, Aaron.
Seeing he and Jan together.
Watching him grow into the wonderful man he has become.
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| Dreaming of what? Likely someday flying! |
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| And then doing so! May all his dreams come true. |
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| My guy with his old man as we are today. |
Aaron introduced Jan and me to Sou not too long after they met. We almost immediately started thinking (and yes, saying to one-another) "wouldn't she be the most wonderful Daughter in Law!"
And then she became just that! A beloved daughter!
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| Aaron and Sou, Sou's parents, and Jan and I |
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| Two of my most favorite people. Spending time with them is truly magical. |
Magical Places
We all have magical places. Here are a few of mine...
No one who has been there could exclude Disney World from their list of "magical places.". -Especially if going there was a dream of youth as it was for me. (Well, Disneyland actually.)
And how much more magical to get to share those visits with a child of your own!
Here are some photos I took during some of our earliest visits there...
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| The Castle! Oh, the Castle! |
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| When I saw the Monorail on TV I thought "Wow! How cool! Seeing the real thing was way cooler. Go Disney! |
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| Young Aaron and his friend Carla ride in a "Tea Cup." What fun! |
A penthouse in the Bellagio, Las Vegas.
For me a trip to Las Vegas was never, frankly, a dream. Aaron and Sou were determined to let me know what I was missing. So they booked us in here... OMG!
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| The Ballagio - It's fountains as seen by night |
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| The living room in a Bellagio penthouse suite. Me, stay here? Aaron and Sou said "certainly!" |
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| Our bedroom in the same |
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| ...And my lady's bath. (Mine had a built in steam room instead of a jet spa) "La la la la la" |
The Principality of San Marino. It stands out on its own in the middle of Italy.
We reached San Marino by simply following back roads that appeared to go in its general direction. We were riding a Ducati "Monster" motorcycle kindly loaned us by the company, the hosts of our visit.
Truly this was for me a trip of dreams. Jan and I, in Italy, on a Ducati. What could have been more magical?
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| Glorious, glorious San Marino! |
And then there is to me what is the most magical place on earth... Our home and property in Peterborough NH.
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| Our place in mid-Winter |
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| Spring is kind'a lovely too. |
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| The view through the master bedroom's "glass wall" on a particularly lovely Winter Morn. |
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| The Great Room as seen from the loft above. |
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| And my personal sanctuary -- the Library Loft (seen here as it neared completion) |
Magical Foods
Okay, I'm no lover of caviar or foie gras. Plain, ordinary food well prepared is what I most enjoy. Give me, for instance, a well prepared pizza and a good beer. Or a particularly tender, big, juicy steak cooked rare. Umm!
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| Sitting in a small, restaurant in Catalica, Italy. So, this is what real Italian pizza tastes like! |
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| Or I can just bake up a pizza (or two) at home.... |
Good whiskey and/or an occasional mixed drink such as these Americanos...
No I don't drink often, but when I do I like it smooth and sip it slowly. Ah!
Magical Friends
Magical times, magical places, magical foods -- share them with a magical friend and they'll be even better! |
| Two of the best friends of my youth -- Andy Bonime (left) and Al Karp (right) This was all of our first time in a recording studio - May 1964 In Andy's long career in music and film he has seen many more. |
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| Here's Al today - still driving cool cars and rockin'! |
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| And my best friend of all - Jan! She's still rockin' too! |
The real wonder is that any one of us could likely create an album much like this. We each have our own magical world. Filled with magic times, magic places, magical foods and magical friends.
Thanks for allowing me to share some of mine!
Great thoughts, Don.
ReplyDeleteBill Anderson; Edmonds, WA.