I woke up to being 65 years old ! Its as old as I’ve ever been.. and it feels really good. I was happy to be here with Gabe, Diane, Sammantha and Nova.. I put on tmy Henri Matisse socks which look like me and headed out into the day
Diane went over to make an apple cake… my favorite, whil I spent soem time qworkign on one of my talks for next week. Mid morning DIane, Nova and I took a run .. we ran into a really strange guy with a big stick who started cursing at us.. Portland is a very strange place.
Gabe was in the Lab.. so we all agreed to meet up at about 1 to take Nova on a dog walk to he park. Gabe got home around 2, so we headed out to the park… On the way we were talking to gabe about our weird run-in with the stick man.. We got to the park.. it was super muddy.. so we started throguhing a ball for Nova.. Meanwhile there was an old man sitting on a bench nearby reading a newspaper and watching us.. There was something reallllly creepy about him..He kept looking at us.. but he didnt look quite right.. He was wearing We were still freaked out by our morning run in with a crazy person.. so we wanted nothign to do with this guy ! a hoody and he had an old mans face.. but it looked.. not quite right.. like he’d been injured or something.. Diane and I tried to move away from him. and not make eye contact.. one of the things we’ve learned to do with soem of the strange characters that walk Portlands streets. The guy even waved at us.. I sheepishly waved back.. then we headed behind some trees to get away from the creepy guy…
.at that point Gabe suggested we head up the hill to get away from the mud..and he headed right towards the guy.. DIane and I kind of held backk.. ut followed slowly behind.. As we got closer I noticed that the guy was reading a newspaper we get called funny times.. even weirder is that he was holding it side ways.. I kept trying to make out why his face was so weird…
Then… I realized it was someone wearing a paper mask… and seconds later I realized he was wearuing a mask with a picture of me.. a crazy picture from teh COlony days. >>> At that poitn I knew what was up..
It was MAX ! !!! <3
He jumped up, took off the mask and the hood.. and there was our wonderful bluehaired son… It was such a great surprise !!!
heres wht I look like with the mask !
Unbeknownst to either Diane or me,max , becky, Gabe and Sam had worked out this whole surprise weeks ago.. There was a huge mixup with flights this morning.. that caused Max’s flight from Albuquerque to be canceled. Theyd rebooked him on a much earlier flight .. 6am .. and max was still an hour away in Sant fe.. Any way.. long story short.. Max, Gabe. Beckky and Sam worked through the morning to find a way to get max here before midnight . THey found a connection that would get max here by about 7:30.. Sam called the resturuant to see if our reservatiosn for dinner could be changed Meanwhile , . though a crazy set of circumstances, becky found max a flight on an other airline that would connect in Denver anmd get him to Portland about 7PM.. max got to denver and realized that his original connection to portland was just boarding.. he was able to jump on tjhat and got to Portland around 1 as planned !
max sent this well knwon simpsons gif to Gabe as the experience was unfolding
It was a wondwerful surprise.. we were all together again (or as all toghter as we can be)..
We headed back to the house, na dgot ready for an early dThai dinner.. At Phuket Cafe.. it was really really good.
We chose the early time because we’d planned to htit the portland light festival after dinner. So aftr dinner we blinged up and headed downtown. We were all waering new light rope descis I’d made for everybody.. They use these new peral lights I buy from china.. and all the electronics are crammed in a dental floss container
The light festival was fantastic !.. lots of talented artists working with light
When we were done lighting.. we headed back to Casa Gabriel for some apple cake , candles and ice cream !..
What a great birthday.. it was really magical.. Im so happy to be here with my fam…
Happy burthday to me !
nite all, nite sam (missed you tonight .. but saw the lights blink 🙂
-me