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It was a positively wonderful time!
We were joined by a male cousin and his wife, up while Vic works for a month at a Mental Health facility in a nearby small town.
He is long retired (living in Florida) as a psychiatrist, but does this once a year to pay for his new passion!
That is trying to master playing a mandolin, going to places near where Blue Grass Festivals/Gatherings are going to be.

This Thursday, they thus will take their fully-equipped for living van to Chreokee for a few days for one such opportunity - then back to finish the month.

They are so much fun, Alicia from Bolivia (her father was an engineer from England) and was a registered nurse when they met in Texas, where he was an intern.

What hasn't Vic done?! Spent a year on an Indian reservation on the Wind River in Wyoming - 10 years in Panama - trips and medical missions to Central and South America, including to a very hostile tribe on the Amazon River - they did Europe and Zurich and the running of the bulls in Spain - you name it!

He before retirement for several years was Director of the Department of Psychiatry for med students at the University of Miami.

His mother was my father's sister, and he's 7 months younger than Anne, the two of them keeping in touch through life, Vic having gone to high school there with her in Coral Gables.

He barely knew me as a child 9 years younger, but the same 'word genes' course through our veins, plus more than a few from my mother.

Alicia loved it that while Vic and Anne have always sparred and jousted verbally for fun, here was Double Trouble as I explained FreeRepublic.com to him! LOL
Thankfully, they are passionate Republican conservatives.

Although he never delves beyond research on the Internet, he made me write down the URL and a few how to's - and my screen name. He will be lurking after he goes back to Florida in September..:)) The hook is set, Billie, for him to observe the Finest!

He could not believe Anne and I could deliver such great one-two punches - comebacks to his wit and barbs - it was hilarious to see the expressions on his face, and Alicia's, enjoying it to the max.

There even was a moment when he was taking us all to dinner that he spied a paperback book on the car seat I had brought to read if I woke during the night. It is John Grisham's The Summons, and he said,"I'll bet you can't guess which one of his books I'm thinking of - -"
Oh, how I wish you'd seen the expression on his face when I whipped right back, without hesitation, The Testament." - LOLOL. He was stunned, and asked how I knew that.
My demure (trying not to laugh) reply: "I'm Cousin Margaret."
Mt. Olympus climbed and flag planted..:))

The delight is he is not pompous in the least; just not accustomed to others being equal on 'his' playing field, but Anne and I slaughtered him repeatedly, and he loved it.
With Alicia egging us on, we all laughed more than most in a month.

Nan, the really fascinating thing is news of their son, James. After years as a concert pianist, playing all over Europe, and one score he wrote an Academy Award nomination, he settled in Nashville, and is a successful composer of Blue Grass and Country and Western music.

Get this - Martina McBride recorded his song, In My Daughter's Eyes - and on a new Faith Hill and Tim McGraw CD (to be out in September) will be his composition, Would You Marry Me Again?
Vic had sent Anne a composite tape of several of James's songs, either recorded or being shopped around. He already lives in a mansion and writes and sings, but wants to compose only rather than starring in concerts.

One especially beautiful was Mandolin Morning. He plays and sings with the greats in Nashville, and when he plays just the piano, it is positively gorgeous.
He called his Mom while we were eating dinner, and I got to talk with him, seeing him only one time when he was an infant.

Missed everybuddy here..:))