Family Convergence

Yesterday brought Loni and the boys midday, Sam's dramatic eMountain bike fall down a ravine leaving him beat up but unbroken, and McMenamins lunch converging with Sydne, Dakota, and Koa. Art gallery pondering, baby chicks at Coastal serving as micro zoo, Leland discovering photographer joy with his camera. Evening pizza with Debi and John, Uno games, conversation flowing easily among generations. The house filled with family energy, multiple branches gathering, kids exploring their interests while adults facilitated and observed.

Multiple Generations, Shared Space

October 12, 2025

Tidied up a few things in the morning, final preparations before the arrival. Played Minecraft until the kids showed up, squeezing in virtual construction before reality demanded full attention.

They arrived midday sometime—Loni and the boys filling the house with young energy. Sam immediately took off on his new eMountain bike, eager to test its capabilities. The bike is pretty cool but has some behaviors that can be hazardous, as Sam discovered when he ended up falling down a ravine. Fortunately nothing broke—no bones fractured, no bike components destroyed—but he was pretty beat up. The kind of incident that reminds you that new technology requires learning curves, and those curves sometimes involve literal falls.

We—Loni, the boys, and I—headed to McMenamins for lunch, where we met Sydne, Dakota, and Koa. Family branches converging, multiple generations occupying the same space. It was fun, the lunch was good, and the service was good. McMenamins does that casual gathering thing well, creating spaces where families can sprawl and conversations can overlap without feeling cramped.

Next stop: Debi at Art of the Valley art gallery. The boys really enjoyed the art, engaging with it directly rather than politely. I continued pondering it for insights but didn't find any. Sometimes art just exists to be experienced rather than analyzed, and sometimes my analytical approach blocks direct appreciation. The boys might have the better relationship with it.

Baby chicks at Coastal

We stopped by Coastal to look at the baby chicks—sort of a micro zoo visit, the kind of casual animal encounter that kids love. Leland has a camera and is taking pictures. I think he's enjoying being a photographer, discovering that framing and capturing moments creates its own satisfaction. There's something wonderful about watching someone discover creative practice, seeing them find pleasure in the deliberate act of seeing.

Back home we met Sam, who had returned from his bike adventures, bruised but mobile. The house became a central gathering point, the place where everyone reconvened after individual explorations.

We hung out for a bit, then ordered pizza—the universal solution for feeding groups without cooking stress. Debi and John came over, adding more adult presence to balance the kid energy. Mostly conversation, though we did play a couple of games of Uno. The card game served as social lubricant, giving hands something to do while talk flowed naturally.

Cleaned the house up a bit after everyone left or settled for the night. The kind of surface tidying that acknowledges mess without demanding perfection, restoring enough order to allow sleep without obsessing over complete restoration.

Days like this work because they don't demand structure. People arrive, activities emerge organically, meals happen when hunger dictates, games appear when energy suits them. The house serves as nexus point where different family branches intersect, where kids explore interests, where adults facilitate without controlling. Everyone gets what they need—connection, autonomy, food, entertainment—without rigid scheduling forcing unnatural rhythms.

Sam survived his ravine encounter. Leland discovered photography. Multiple family groups shared space and meals. The house absorbed it all and will do it again tomorrow. Some days are just about being available, providing the space and flexibility that allows family to converge and diverge naturally.