Family matters

Along with the excitement of the 40th anniversary of the GAS lawsuit there was another equally wonderful thing that happened in Richmond this week. I had a long overdue reunion with my nephew Jeremy; not once, not twice, but three times we got together to visit.

Jeremy is the son of Ransom’s brother Evan and I hadn’t seen him for perhaps eight years. Unfortunately, there has been some bad blood between some of the senior members of the family and the kids have been caught in the turmoil. Jeremy and his brother Elliot pretty much became men in my absence and I am sorry to have missed those years.

Jeremy has lived in Richmond for quite a while but this is the first time I’ve seen him there. He’s a successful artist – following in his Dad’s footsteps. We had a great time eating in a local hotspot (Lulu’s), having a drink at Richmond’s hippest hotel, the Quirk, and, taking a trip down memory lane, eating chicken livers at Joe’s Inn (not very good). To the left is one of Jeremy's works that I particularly like.

Having been involved in my own strained family relationships I recognize both the pain and the futility. It was great to experience the love also.

Thanks, Elliot (and Aly) for a great visit.

Continuing the family theme, I’m at the Dallas Fort Worth airport as I write this, sitting with Ransom in the Admiral’s Club – you know, pretending to be one percenters, hiding from the rabble. Ransom’s premiere concert with the Redlands Symphony was Saturday night and it was a stunner. An all Czech program with music by three of the four great Czech composers: Bedřich Smetana, Bohuslav Martinů and Antonín Dvořák. (Who’s the fourth? That would be Leoš Janáček). It was a thrilling evening, ending with the dynamic eighth symphony of Dvořák; most people know his ninth, From the New World. This one is every bit as powerful and moving.

The orchestra sounded great, my husband was his usual magnificent self and the audience loved it. The hall, pictured below, is quite spectacular in a Southern California monumental churchy way. I’m so glad I was there.

Time now to return to work.

Yuck!

Memorial Chapel on the grounds of the University of Redlands