Changes

Los Angeles, California: Remember when we started this trip on December 20th and I wrote about how I named this tour the "Mental Floss Tour" because I needed to put awful 2010 behind me and regroup and start again? Things don't always work out as planned. I have tried. I have moved forward. Losing your Mother is so traumatic. Dealing with the emotions is painful. I can tell myself it is "part of life", but it is still not easy. I miss my Mom. But every day, it does get better. My Wonderful Husband and my siblings have been so supportive. You know what? It is part of life and it is the natural chain of events that we can all only hope will occur in the prescribed order. But it is not My Mother keeping me up at night recently. No. It's other people in my life. Live people. I see live people. My Dad has found a new love. It was a shock, after spending the past 55 years believing my parents were attached at the hip, to learn Dad is ready to continue living life to the fullest without My Mother. Mom fought cancer for ten years and Dad was there 110% of the time for her. Dad has found a wonderful woman to share his life with and they are very happy together. Life does go on. Different, but life is about being able to accept change. I think Jimmy Buffett wrote a song about it.

Speaking of change...

Several months ago, Lenny asked us for The Lovely Lisa's hand in marriage. We happily said yes as Lisa is so in love and so happy. If we could have hand-picked a husband for Lisa, we could have never found a man more perfect for her. They are in their 30's - not love-struck teens. They have their heads on straight, college degrees, successful careers, and have close relationships with loving and supportive family and friends. Lenny and Lisa love each other and have committed to building a life together.

And they are going to have a baby. In August.

Yes, Dear Readers, we are going to be grandparents... which found us in Los Angeles tonight for a surprise engagement dinner, arranged by Lenny and Lisa's friend, Angela.

Photo by Angela

Lisa was truly surprised to find 26 people waiting for them at Barbrix Restaurant in Silver Lake! Lenny's parents flew in from their home in Washington, DC. for the dinner, Lenny's sister and her boyfriend (they live in LA) were there and to everyone's surprise - including Lenny - his brother flew in from London!

Lenny's parents - Terry & Stephen. How fun that both Moms are named Terry!

Lisa's parents: DT and Terry
(Photo by Angela)

There was a wholelotta this going on at the party
(Photo by Angela)

And a wholelotta this going on

Two families are joining and Lisa & Lenny are living their lives at warp-speed. It is going to be a very exciting year.

DT, me, Lenny, Eli (Lenny's little brother), Colleen (Lenny's little sister), Steve
Lisa, Tyson (Colleen's boyfriend), Terry

And so begins a new chapter in our family history! A new son-in-law and a grandchild! How this tale will play-out will not be my tale to tell. The story will be Lisa and Lenny's. I will certainly be there, camera-in-hand, watching this new family grow.

And, one more thing - it's a boy!

Until my next update, I remain, your flossing correspondent.