Tanglewood Tradition

As this long, hot, stormy summer has rolled by, we have been waiting for an opportunity to head out to Tanglewood. Yesterday was the first good Sunday, so we packed up and made the trek out to the Berkshires. Our trip last summer should give you a clear idea of what an afternoon picnicking on “The Lawn” listening to classical music spilling out from “The Shed” is like.

It was a lovely afternoon. Mostly sunny, with a enough of a breeze to keep one cool in dappled shade. These trips are an annual event for us; a rite of summer if you will. The family tradition goes back on Chuck’s side to his parents. Milton and Betty would drive up from their home in Westchester County, New York and various branches of the clan would meet under one of the trees on The Lawn for a communal picnic. That was in the years before Mom and Dad relocated to Washington State and before the entire right side of The Lawn was created; the side where Chuck and I now go.

Naturally, we reminisced about those previous trips and larger gatherings yesterday. But those memories only sharpened the poignancy of the call from Chuck’s sister Carol last night. She let us know that one month shy of his 94th birthday, Dad’s health has declined such that he will now begin receiving hospice care. We are grateful that he will continue to live in the wonderful home he has been in for many months. We are especially grateful for all the times he is still chipper and funny on the phone with Chuck. Mostly, we’re grateful for Dad and Mom and the great job they did as parents and all the memories we share as a family. Some of the most relaxed and peaceful were spent on sunny Sunday afternoons, at Tanglewood.