Cruising Past Seventy: The Inner Journeys: Our Lifestyle Adventures: Celebrating Virtually and In Person

Daniela Aberion is the debutante...and purple is her color!

Carol in Newcastle, virtually celebrating with Bill

For the first time, Bill and I spent our anniversary away from each other. It was our sixth last August 8. Not by design, mind you. We decided that I would stay longer with April after the wedding not only to refresh my relationship with my daughter but also to get to know Clint. We didn’t have the time before that, with the cruising in Scandinavia, UK et al. But Bill could only stay for a week since he had to return to his commitments at CASA.

Bill @ Fat Willy's in Phoenix

So we had a simple virtual “celebration”. At 7 to 9 pm Newcastle time, April, Clint, and I went out to dinner at Tenji, a posh Japanese buffet in downtown Newcastle. At the same time, 10 am-12 noon Phoenix time, Bill had brunch at Fat Willys in Viewpoint Golf and RV Resort in Phoenix, Arizona. And FB bridged the gap, its call and posting features got great use! Another one for the books!

April and Clint took me to the train station

We were using our air miles and the earliest available flight for me was Aug. 10. April and Clint took me to the Newcastle train station at 6:30 am and there we had breakfast, waiting for my train an hour later. The ride was three hours to London and at King's Cross Station, I took the Piccadilly Line to Heathrow where I boarded a British Airways flight to Seattle. We landed eight and a half hours later at 4:40 pm, Seattle time. During the flight I got the chance to photograph a white Canada as we flew over her.

view of white Canada

My flight day Aug. 10 was also the debut of my second grandchild, Daniela “Yeye” Aberion. My daughter Trisha had actually taken a video of my message for her when we were at Guthrie Castle for the wedding. My flight back to Phoenix had a five-hour layover in Seattle where her party was being held. I did not have to have another virtual thing!

So I thought about taking a cab from the airport, go to College Club of Seattle, the venue of her party, and return also by cab to the airport to resume my flight. But I decided to stay a bit longer. Deejay and Kenji were not able to go to the Scotland wedding. I wanted more time with Kenji especially. Bill obligingly changed my flight! I return to Phoenix on Aug. 19.

Debutante Daniela

Yeye’s party was a smash hit. She deserved a party like that, all beautifully decorated by her doting Mom Trish. She had eighteen roses, gentlemen who each gave her a rose and danced with her. She also had eighteen candles, ladies who have meant a lot to her. And I was glad I got to be there in person. When you have to, celebrating virtually will do the job but it’s always better in person! Here’s the excerpt of my speech for her, as one of her candles:

her parents, Deejay and Trish

her brother, Kenji

“Tonight I was supposed to return to Phoenix from London. At the last minute I changed my mind and Bill readily understood. There’s no place I’d rather be than here.

I remember that when you were a baby everyone kept teasing you tabatsoy, malaki mata. Today you are no longer chubby but sexy. But, I must admit, those eyes are still big. You have kept your wide-eyed innocence.

Those eyes even got bigger when I started to date again. You said, “Mama, it is not good to date many men. Just Bill, please. He will be good for you!” You were just 11 and already a good judge of character. You had an eye for goodness.

line dancing with her sister and friends

But it’s not only your eyes that are big, and I am not talking about boobs either. It is your heart that is really very big. It is quite legendary how selfless you are. You are the epitome of a really good girl, the kind any guy can bring home to any Mom any time.

Daniela, you still have those beautiful big eyes. And you have that legendary big heart. But, at 18 you also have developed a smart mind. Lulu, thank you so much for raising such a fine lady! Deejay and Trisha, congrats on having such a fine daughter!