Care Package for the Grandson

Our grandson is doing an internship this summer in our northern Virginia neighborhood. But he is staying in a basement rowhouse apartment in our - and his - old neighborhood on Capitol Hill. He has to go in to the office on Tuesdays and Wednesdays and works from home the rest of the week. He’s not a metro type guy so he drives his truck in to work. In order to avoid rush hour traffic on the way home - and of course to stop for a visit with us - he has stopped in twice so we can go out for dinner. It gives us an excuse to go out to a restaurant rather than stay home, and a chance to catch up in the world of an almost twenty one year old. The last time we came back home for some nice cream after dinner. This time my husband and I made up a care package filled with every piece of fruit we usually enjoy as well as other chocolate, cookie and candy treats. The package included a pear, apple, nectarine, banana, orange, cherries, grapes, and chunks of watermelon and melon. I put it all in a plastic bag with a glacier ice gel refrigerant (the kind sent to preserve our eyedrop medications in the summer heat) that comes in handy. Our grandson has such a busy schedule it’s so nice that he makes time to see his old grandparents though we always insist we can be his last option if he has better things to do. It’s a great opportunity to talk without his parents around - just to get an even better idea of what he’s all about. He is rarely anywhere near here in the summer months so it’s a nice chance to see him. And it’s nice to know he is staying in a familiar place with his old neighbors and friends. Now I need to think of something for the next time! 

Care Package from Milwaukee

We lived in the Midwest for thirty years. We moved to DC twelve years ago when I got a job at the Library of Congress. Since then I have kept in touch with several folks I worked with, but also developed closer friendships with others. Whenever we visit Milwaukee there are certain people we always contact and visit. Some of them have come to visit us here in DC, and that happened a few weeks back when a colleague/friend stayed with us a couple of days while on business for Marquette. We worked together in a very large health care system, and I happened to get my master in nursing degree from Marquette. So yesterday when I went to pick up the mail there was an unexpected package waiting for us on the shelf. I knew who it was from right away and both my husband and I were curious to uncover the contents - because Paul has a very unique personality and we knew it would be thoughtfully put together. And wouldn’t you know we were not surprised by what we found - the interesting chocolates, Werther’s Original caramel hard candies, beer nuts, a beer salami, and a Marquette T-shirt. Along with it came a very heartwarming and funny letter that had both my husband and I laughing - and thinking about how nice it is to know someone like Paul. He’s the kind of guy who is uplifting and very nice to know. My husband is now composing a note to rival the one we received. Some of the finest people we know live in Milwaukee. We think about them often and always appreciate their friendship. 

 

The Care Package

We discovered Yas a few months back. It is located in Vienna and has a nice selection of Iranian treats. So every time we go to Lynchburg to visit family we stop by and pick up a few items. They were so enthusiastically consumed the last time that we couldn't go empty handed! The desserts are so tasty! And they look good too! We are running out of bags to put the goodies in so we used one of the Library of Congress book festival sacks. So we tucked it in with the luggage and such. Maybe there will be something left by the time we get there.