Kaitlyn, Lassie and Saxophone performance

Dear Noah and Dylan,

     Another wonderful visit last night with you and your dad. You got to meet Kaitlyn, our collie we just adopted and we watched the original Lassie movie from 1943 with Roddy McDowell as Joe, Lassie Come Home. And thanks to your dad for getting Chinese takeout. Uncle Joe wasn't home since he had a dinner party with his union. Before dinner we talked about book vs movie versions of same story. Noah said that he had a hard time visualizing what he reads, but can do it if the book is read to him. You are definitely an auditory learner! Uncle Joe is the same way although now he reads every night in bed on his whatever device, a small lap top I guess. But he primarily listens to podcasts of his favorite TV news shows and also likes books on tape. I tend to daydream too much when listening and can focus better with written word, myself. I had given you the book "The Clock in the Wall" something like that, written posthumously by a writer from Haverhill. His wife published his books after he died. (that's what posthumously means in case you don't know that word by the time you read this) We discussed reading book and then comparing movie version which is out already.
    Dylan lugged over his saxophone and holiday music he is learning and played about 10 songs for us. I was amazed having last heard you play almost a year ago at Uncle Don's. The difference was remarkable. I'm so glad you are continuing and enjoying it! We talked about the goofy trivia game I set up for our weekend in Stowe. Thanks for agreeing with me that everyone was taking it way too seriously, trying to win the lame prizes i had. Noah confessed he didn't even participate since he didn't have a pen, but he was observing everyone else. Your dad probably didn't notice you didn't have a pen since he was trying so hard himself to win the cheesy potholder from Fiji. We also got on the subject of currency in different countries since some of the lame prizes were Fijian dollars which nobody seemed to appreciate. I brought out my collection of bills and coins from other countries and we were trying to figure out how much some of them were worth. We looked up my 50,000 Peruvian soles bill on the internet which is worth $13,000! We were so excited until we figured out that the current bill does not have the same design as the 1984 bill so it is now likely obsolete. I will look more into it with my Peruvian friend, Lita, however! Wouldn't that be something!
   We also talked about horrible things going on to people I know including guy who broke his neck on way to play bridge and the two friends that have cancer. Dylan wanted to know how bad my cancer is on a scale of 1 to 10. I told him it is a pretty bad one, that two women I know already died from it, and that is why i am trying hard to stay healthy, eating right and exercising so I can tolerate the treatment as long as possible since there is no cure, not yet at least. This is my third time in 2 years dealing with the same cancer. I cry to think about the day we can no longer see each other since your birth was one of the most wonderful events in my life and spending time with you, if you couldn't tell from this journal, has been an incredible joy. (most of the time, sometimes I want to slap you both silly, ha ha, but who doesn't..you are now annoying tweens!) I don't really want to slap you ever, but you know what I mean. Anyway, during the conversation, Dylan finally asked if we could not talk about sick people, etc, and we went on to a discussion over what would I rather be, depressed or constipated. ??  Nobody seemed to know how that came up but we had a few laughs thanks to your  facial expressions demonstrating each condition. It lead to a another "Ted Talk" by Auntie Kim about what depression is.
   All and all, a nice evening together in remembrance of Grandpa K's 81st birthday and celebration of Carlos's 5th!
Love you boys, all three of you, here on Earth and from the "moon" assuming i get there first. I'll set up a card table up there for when you get there, but take your time, PLEASE! I want you both to have long, full and satisfying lives as I have had to date! I am LUCKY to be turning 60! That is a long time and I have truly made the most of every year. Uncle Joe and I sit down on NY Eve each year and recount what went on as I jot in my journal. A lot!! Not all good of course, but that is life.

Auntie Kim