Random Ramblings: My childhood friend, Cindy, and I went to Bryce and Zion National Parks last week, July 1-3. We've tried to run away to somewhere fun for the last two summers, but didn't try hard enough, I guess, making it only as far as my Flagstaff hiking trails. This year, we started marking up the calendar early and booked. Cindy has been to the canyons three times before and offered to do all the driving to let me simply enjoy the landscape. Peering out the window is a lovely gift in itself. Growing up, my dad forced us to focus outside the car. It could've have been the four of us fighting in the back seat over whose leg was sweating on whose because it crossed an arbitrary line in the upholstery pattern. Or it could’ve been the messy threat of me getting car sick which earned us preventive orange soda stops. Mostly, I'm sure my frugal father thought this: as long as we’re driving through some place, we might as well get more mileage for our 29-cent gallon of gas and see it. Some habits stick. Bryce National Park is just under six hours of traveling through alternating cliff, desert and alpine terrain from Flagstaff. That day, the sky held clouds and shaded us most of the way. When we got out to hike Bryce's sandstone hoodoos, we had complete cover and some sprinkles on our 75-degree, 3-mile hike. We picnicked and continued on to sun-drenched Zion. As we drove up to the park gates, Cindy said, “How are you?” The friendly ranger smiled and reported, “It’s hot. I’m hot. It was 106 degrees today. You should’ve been here last month or even last week.” Gee, nothing we could do about that, and as the day was waning, it merely felt warm and dry despite his remarks. We ate Mexican food on a patio, and reflecting on the ranger’s advice, planned the next morning's endeavor. We set the alarm to blare early as an edge against heat stroke for our rigorous walk up Devil's – uh, I mean – Angel's Landing. It was Cindy that later caught me misnaming the hike, convinced my subconscious took control. To read more... The trip started out as a birthday gift for me. 49 big ones this year. I decided it would be fun to include Daniel and Whitney if they were able to come, so we talked to DJ first. He took three days to finally return a ‘yes’ answer. I met Whitney for lunch the next day, and she took three seconds. The chewing slowed her down. That’s my girl. We arrived in NYC by early afternoon on Good Friday. Patrick met us at our Wall Street district hotel – snazzy contemporary – and the tour began. He had all four days of our visit off and looked forward to recuperating from the back-to-back weeks that made it possible for him. We’d just take it easy. The grey and cold afternoon didn’t keep us from exploring the Botanical Gardens. Daffodils of every variety covered the open spaces and cherry blossoms helped us to understand the venue’s popularity for weddings. The trees’ blooms frilled the branches and littered the ground like confetti. Say aaaah. Patrick is a chef, but even before this, his mind circled around food, so sharing a meal is an event that stimulates our appetite, and then some. Get us together, and besides the usual banter, we will discuss food and recipes beyond whatever is before us. It was Friday, so it was pizza, and Agii, his serious girlfriend, met us for the first time at the restaurant. to read more... (It takes a moment to load, so be patient, please.) The reason for two trucks this time was the difference in available time. Whitney, Daniel, Jim and the dog would stay for a week, and I would hang on for an additional one. Then, I could work and spend extravagant time with my mother and brothers. Why not? Especially when I’m facing that 17-hour return trip. Although all the talk was of skiing prior to our arrival, the cousins had been bitten by spring. Their talk turned to slush on the hill, and instead, they mounted bicycles to pedal around town. It was shirt-sleeve weather and all sun, too much to pass up. That is Arizona at her best. The kids migrated south for more cousins and training day baseball games in Phoenix. Arizona hosts eight or nine teams at this point, looking for form their own league. The kids tapped into slumber parties, movies and lots of catching up. That is why we go. to read more... It looked to be a quiet Christmas. Aaron and Delania had their turn with us in 2007, so they stayed home – actually, they shot off to sunny Cancun as a gift to themselves. And Whitney took time off for Thanksgiving when we all trekked to Florida to visit A & D for a nearly-complete family reunion, so she needed to make it up to her employer and work through the holidays. This season is the industry’s busiest for Patrick, so it is impossible for him to come. I felt anxious about a lonely house in the woods. Still, I did what I usually do: extended an open invitation to anyone who wanted to come during our two-week stay. As a result, Jim, Daniel and I plus the dog spent only one night by ourselves. Lonely? Not a chance. We drove seventeen hours straight through, changed clothes and went to my brother Grant’s annual Christmas party. We’re a little crazy, but what are holidays for if not to test the limits of endurance in so many ways. After a short night and an indulgent breakfast, we scooted up to Flagstaff. And before our B&B went into full occupancy, I snuck out for interviews for AZ Daily Sun and Mountain Living Magazine. Grant’s son, Caleb, came up as did Dan and LeeAnn and Sam who, with Lee and Christine, made a dinner party out of our last night in Flagstaff. With all the guests and fun, there’d been no time to put our tree away. LeeAnn must have heard the desperation in my voice because after the meal, she directed everyone to un-decorate before they drove back to Prescott. God doesn’t hand out too many sisters-in-law like that. Thanks! We put the house together as best we could the next morning, and for the first time ever, we headed down the mountain with our last three guests. Like I said, lonely? Not a chance. Blessed? We know it. A Florida Thanksgiving Our Christmas elf is so much fun though. It won’t be the same without Whtitney's childlike delight, the one who notices every bit of wonder I infuse. Must our children leave us so soon and so completely at times? We are left with only the gaping hole of a cherished memory until their next visit. It seems that pushing forward in time involves reflection for me. Sorry. Still, the point of this story was to tell you about our Thanksgiving trip to Cocoa, Florida to visit Aaron and Delania and to see their new house. DJ and I drove over early in my new blue Dodge truck which came equipped with a year's free Sirius satellite radio. After sleeping for the first three hours, Daniel tried the full range of 184+ channels. And with 15 and-a-half hours of hard travel, you can do that. Talk radio to opera to bluegrass to road warrior CB trucker stations exist. Take my word for it. Jim and Whitney would catch up to us two days later with a flight into Orlando. A relaxed week of non-stop gorgeous weather permeated our visit and our spirits. The guys fished and told stories. Some about fish. We reminisced and made plans for a family reunion next year—perhaps, a warm summer visit to Flagstaff when Patrick can be there. And we laughed. A lot. Aaron and Jim deep-fried a turkey for Thanksgiving because it’s faster, delaying our meal by only 90 minutes. We celebrated at Aaron and Delania’s new house which they painted a jewel-toned palette of colors inside. The couple did a massive DIY kitchen upgrade to fashion a warm entertainment area. Their newest family addition, a 50-pound dog named Fisher, acted like a toddler—excited by company, forgetting her manners, and yet, very lovable. When they got the puppy last spring, Aaron slept on the floor with her for the first few days and took her out to the yard every time she stirred. He explained how he would pee on a bush to show her where to go and to build a pack between them. There is no such thing as secrets or TMI with that one. As I said, the visit didn’t disappoint us on any front.
Bryce, Zion and Heber - regional treks
Hi All, July 6, 2009
Youngest Chick Leaps from the Nest 
Daniel James Collins, a graduate of Houston Christian High School as of May 29, 2009, invites you to share in his delirious happiness. After his last exam, he stopped in to visit each of his teachers, confirm he passed and thank them. For those of you familiar with Daniel's educational background, you know we never assumed anything. Hearing, "You made it. Congratulations!" said aloud felt good.
Throughout DJ's stumbling progress, he has frustrated, and eventually, endeared a group of cheerleaders. No, not the short-skirted, tumbling variety, but the long-on-learning crowd. If their amibition is to assist a child in discovering how to learn to the best of his ability, or despite his disability, it explains their hugs and good wishes for him. Both Daniel and his teachers understand it was never a sure thing, but it was surely worth fighting for. Or through. Or around. Or over. All of these.
It has been quite a journey. The bottom line is that our son's 4-year participation in the school's football program has taught Daniel how to champion on both academic and sporting fronts. How to stand and face it head-on. How to pick himself up when things go wrong. How to make a new plan. And how to tackle what's coming at him next. He's a big man on the line, and it's been enough for him to punch a hole and pave the way for the guy who's scoring. Working together is a gracious, humbling affair for which he has devout appreciation. Still, in this, Daniel has proven to himself and the world that he has what it takes to succeed. To stand in the end zone. To do the happy dance.
Congratulations #64 from your biggest fans, Mom & Dad
Where this big boy is headed? Click here to find out.
NYC, Easter 2009
Spring Break 2009
With Whitney and Daniel still in our Houston midst, and most of our two extended families sticking close to Phoenix – even the cousins for college – we’ve fallen into an unbelievable routine of driving 1320 miles three times a year between the two places. So, for Spring Break, we loaded up two trucks and pointed them at Arizona for our usual nonstop trek. If pointing was all it took, and should by now, it would be easier. It’s a heck of a haul. Yes, people think we’re nuts, although I don’t have to solicit such opinions.
Christmas 2008
Jim, Dad, Kevin and Dan in Prescott Heather & Giselle Lee & Christine
After Christmas Day, Dan and LeeAnn’s youngest, Sam, who is Daniel’s age, came up and hung out with us. So did a slew of girl cousins on the Gallifant side – Sarah, Kera, Heather and her daughter, Giselle. My mother and brother, Gerhard, arrived as well, so it was quite the party weekend. The kids played Uno to a riot of laughter like always. I adore watching them giggle until they fall off their chairs. They stepped out to a movie together, and after some convincing, Heather left the 18-month old with us, so we could try on grandparenting. We liked it.
November, 2008
Aaron and Delania have been married for nearly three years and visit us every other Christmas, alternating their hilarious, first-born company between her parents in Florida where the couple also lives and us. 2007 was our turn. Whitney and Daniel were so filled with anticipation that they wanted to put the holiday on hold until the duo arrrived on December 23rd. Endearing, but nay too practical.
I told them, “We’ll hold off on the most important activity you want to share with them.” So, we set out our favorite things—decorations overwhelmingly from Norway where Christmas magic clings to the soul—hauled a live tree home in the bed of my pick-up, and then, baked cut-out cookies in preparation for the chosen activity! My brother, Gerhard, made the Phoenix airport run. He drove our mother and the kids north to snowy Flagstaff where we had a cozy houseful then.
Well, it was worth waiting for Aaron and Delania to paint cookies with us. Our silly son ices fewer than anyone else at the table—which is covered in waxed paper, rainbow frosting drips and sprinkles that fall to the carpet and reappear in July—but his unique creations never fail to disappoint. Last year’s highlight: a chubby, gingerbread girl whose be-jeweled bikini also bore the words, “WIDE LOAD.” Another year, Hitler made an unexpected appearance as did a ghoulish cookie that carried its own head in its hands. Amputees are classic fodder. You see Whit and DJ’s need to wait for the raw, unfiltered presence of their oldest brother. In the background, I mass-produce normal cookies just to give people something to eat.
This year will be a quiet Christmas with only a small branch of the Jim Collins tree making a showing in Arizona. Why so small a gathering with so large a family? A & D are off to Cancun for their holiday gift to themselves—they like it warm! Patrick just finished working out the final days of a job and will return to his previous employment at Craft Bar—one of Top Chef Tom Colicchio’s restaurants. The holidays are this industry’s busiest time anyway, so we don’t expect a visit. Still, we miss Patrick’s playful nature and good eats. I especially miss my kitchen confidential lessons and a partner to clink glasses with while we prep.
Our final no-show this Christmas is Whitney. She took off so much time for Thanksgiving, and then, to catch up her post-Ike school work and to study for finals that she feels obligated to work the holiday shifts for those who covered for her. "I really need the money anyway," she said with the maturity it takes to make tough decisions. Her bottom lip poked out a little despite this. We exchanged presents with her a couple of weeks early, and the girlie was delighted with Santa’s delivery of pots, kitchen items and other things she coveted for her apartment.
On the day in between, Aaron, Daniel and I chatted over a lunch of grilled fish at the seashore and enjoyed Aaron’s guided tour of Black Point Wildlife Drive. We saw a bald eagle’s nest, alligators and observed the world’s most boring manatee grazing. “That’s why they call them sea cows,” Aaron laughed.
Our oldest never hesitates to talk about science. We giggle, remembering the dinner table Bio Bob moments when all of us lived under one roof. Back then, if Daniel filled his glass until the liquid bubbled on the surface, Aaron would stop the converstation to give us a physics lesson. With his deep interest in science laid against his sarcastic humor, spending time with Aaron is like channel surfing between Comedy Central and Discovery. On the nature trail that first day, we learned enough about water fowl to forget a few things. Still, it was how Aaron intermingled his running field dialogue with his off-hand, disparaging remarks about birders that caused Daniel and me to smile at one another behind his back. It was exactly what we drove all that way to hear.
Whit, Daniel, Jim and I drove home together in the truck. Along the way, with reality looming ahead, Whitney threatened to melt down. So, we helped her edit a history paper and tried to solve a few of her world’s problems. We’re family; that’s what we do. I wouldn’t change a thing.
Much love to you and yours,
Gail
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