IMG_0856.jpeg Mother’s Day 2026

The summer of 2026 went by quickly. It was a hot one here in North Carolina, and Julie felt it far more than I did — she’s outside for most of her day delivering the mail, so a high number on the thermometer isn’t an abstraction for her the way it is for the rest of us. What I’ll remember about this summer, though, isn’t the heat. It’s the people we spent it with.

We’re grateful for the time we had with my parents. Amanda and Emily were both able to join us for Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, and having all of us together twice in six weeks is not something I take for granted anymore.

IMG_0901.jpeg Father’s Day 2026

Julie and I never celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary. That was 2021, and I spent much of that year working through one health problem after another, including several hospitalizations. By the time the day came around, marking it was the last thing on either of our minds. It’s a small loss next to being that sick, but it stayed with me.

So the 30th, on July 27th of this year, meant more than the number suggests. We didn’t travel anywhere. We ate some good meals, spent a day at the Greensboro Science Center, and took a week of vacation to rest and enjoy each other. After thirty years, that turned out to be exactly right.

The zoo there was an afternoon of standing in front of one enclosure after another. We happened to catch the penguins at feeding time, spent a long while with the tigers, and both came away talking about the pygmy hippo.

IMG_0919.jpeg Our anniversary dinner — July 27, 2026

The centerpiece was dinner at Ryan’s Restaurant in Winston-Salem. Julie ordered the New York strip and I had the filet. Both were cooked exactly the way we asked for them and unusually flavorful — it may be the tastiest meal I can remember eating. The atmosphere was perfect for a romantic evening. It was an expensive dinner, but well worth it, and the manager brought us a free dessert and a $25 gift card when he learned it was our first visit and our anniversary.

We ate at Milner’s American Southern that week too. The food didn’t quite reach Ryan’s, but it was excellent, and the highlight was the live jazz. A good meal with Julie and jazz playing in the room is close to my idea of a perfect evening.

IMG_0951.jpeg Jerry and Rita — 57 years of marriage

In August, my mom and dad celebrated 57 years of marriage. Fifty-seven years. Julie and I aren’t quite through our first thirty, and the further we go, the better I understand what a number like that actually costs and what it’s worth. They are wonderful parents, and I’m grateful for the time we have together.

IMG_0976.jpeg Emily, Dave, Julie, Amanda, and Will at Amanda’s baby shower — August 22, 2026

And the best news of the summer: Amanda and Will are expecting. The baby is due in December, and both Amanda and the baby are healthy. This will be our first grandchild.

A hot summer, and a full one. I don’t expect the fall to be quiet.