Dear J-
I seem to fall into these old patterns by habit; I question how valid the thoughts are as I’ve only known my parents in this house for I think four or five visits, but it feels a little like humming around between high school and college, the way we eat (and eat and eat) from the moment I get up until the kisses goodnight. I will leave it at that except that I’m making it a point to eat as much fiber as possible while here — one purpose of which is to keep full to fend off the proffered snacks.
My brother is a foodie, recognizing styles and obscure dishes and welcoming new tastes into his life; I got a bit of a taste of that tonight when we were trying for a light dinner after the family gathering for lunch (these things seem to turn into multi-hour buffets featuring multiple mains and desserts) and, while eating, we were trying to figure out the next few meals. Not only did he recognize the family tendency to fixate on eating, he pointed out how we seem to plan our days around where we eat and make it a point to go for dishes not easily found in our home towns.
Finally I spent part of the night in the company of three children — two, six, and eight. It’s a nice stage to be around; they’re not obscurely embarrassed to be seen with adult relatives, nor so little to be imprintless blobs. All three had their own interests; the eldest and youngest were arrested by blocks (the building and destroying of various structures, from army base to jail to zoo made for a loud and somewhat hazardous site, this immensely successful), while the middle one solicited dishes for a menu she put together for me. We spent the rest if the night on the couch laughing at Ben Stiller in Night at the Museum. I was tucked between two fellow souls — my brother’s kids — wondering if life could get any better than this.
Mike
Tags: habits, home, patterns, regression
Dear J- 
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