Or epiblog, I suppose.
We are home. If you cannot tell after reading this blog, let me be forthright in telling you we had a marvelous time! Any minor complications and variations to our detailed plans simply added delightful spice to our adventure! So take anything else I say with, uh, “a grain of salt.” Like this one: the most miserable link to our return was the last one, in our own back yard. The plane was late to Chicago. Weather, fickle as it is, kept us in Chicago for a couple of hours. Chris got my text saying the plane was late as he was pulling into MSP. Home again. He returned on my touchdown phone call. Krista retrieved Chuck and Jill. We arrived at the house around 11:30 PM (for us 8:30 AM the following day after having been awake since 6:00 AM, over 24 hours before, except for some inconsequential naps). I am still jet lagged and consequently have been awake since 3:30 AM. No point in translating that to Swedish time now.
There are 1800 photos to sift through and so many other things we could have said or told about. The blog is merely a stream of consciousness at the time it is written. If you haven’t guessed, I write for myself but truly enjoy that others might read it. The next blog I write, I will focus on feelings more than I have in this one. We have spent some time consciously reflecting, but not enough! Now it will be reminiscing. I hope Jill finds a bit of time to add some more chapters too.
Far more importantly, Birdie’s dad and the only dad I have had for over 30 years, Francis Degner 93, died last night, July 2, 2011. It is a little teleological to think he waited for us, but we were thankful he waited for us to be home. Birdie, Jill, me, grandchildren, Chris, Carly and Gretchen, great-grandchildren Parker (with mom Jenny) and Sawyer (with dad Will), cousin Carol Smith all spent time with him by his side before he died, peacefully. (If I missed anyone, my apologies!) Mark's wife Debbie and the kids will be coming in for the funeral. He had fabulous care at Ebenezer Ridges and we are deeply indebted to Gloria and the rest of the the staff.
I know we “lost” him a few years ago in the conscious sense, but now that he is truly gone, our lives will be different. I miss him already.
Bye Dad. We love you.
Ken
Ken and Birdie Olson
Chuck and Jill Jacobson
