The Vacation Continues. . . .

Yesterday we visited Charleston, SC and went to Patriots Point and explored the aircraft carrier USS Yorktown and then the South Carolina Aquarium. We've been to both of these places many times before, but there is something relaxing and even comforting about returning to the same attractions year after year. I almost feel that I ought to know some of the fish in the aquarium by name, and the numerous times I've photographed my son Mike standing next to an airplane has documented the passage of his youth. He was old enough to drive the rental car this year and drove back from Charleston--which was undoubtedly a major milestone in his life.



I had him narrate a brief clip at the aquarium using one of his "accents." Fun stuff!

My youngest son, Sam, is approaching a milestone of his own; he turns twenty in a few weeks and has developed an independent streak, which we can encourage, thanks to the invention of the cellphone. As the parent of any autistic can testify, you never really want them out of your sight; you fear that they will get lost, or robbed, or fall overboard. I still have concerns for Sam, but not nearly as many as I have in the past. His sense of direction and spatial orientation are better than anyone's I know. Sam may not be where I can see him, but he's never lost; he always knows exactly where he is, and, thanks to his cellphone, we can always contact him and locate him.




















Not that we ever truly let him operate on his own. He wanted to play miniature golf at a place near our hotel by himself--at night. Bud dropped him off and then called me from the parking lot to see if I thought he was being overprotective by waiting for him in the car. My opinion was that he was not. Sometimes you can be protective without being smothering, and I believe that Sam appreciates that. So while his father waits for him, he'll have a good time doing his own thing.

Time marches on; kids grow up and changes are inevitable. The T-Rex in this photo used to come alive from time to time and roar. Now, he just stands there, eyes closed and silent as though asleep. Someday Bud and I won't be around to watch over Sam, but in the meantime, old habits die hard.

The last scheduled stop in Outcast's blog tour is an interview posted today on Fang-tastic Books! Come on over!