My dad is checking out the family van on our way home from Dayton, Ohio to see family for Christmas. Christmas used to be a fairly smooth ordeal for everyone, but a few wrenches have been thrown in the past few years. In 2005, the van broke down on Christmas day. I was supposed to drive that home to catch a flight to central Mexico in the morning. Headaches and an expensive rental car was the only option.

This year, while staying at my grandmother’s house, I took a run on Christmas morning, having relieved myself of Church duty the night before at midnight mass with my siblings. As I returned from the mini-trek and I walked in the door my grandma was fretting like I haven’t seen and I two of my uncles were there, many hours before the dinner. My grandpa was in bad shape and they could not get him out of bed. An ambulance was called and on Christmas morning I saw a hardworking crew of EMT guys giving up their holiday to help my grandpa. He was in the hospital for a few days, and released with an ambiguous diagnosis that seemed to say “nothing’s really broke, but we’ll keep an eye out”. Here’s to hoping they just needed to look under his hood only to find he’s still in good enough shape for another journey or so. That was the case with the old van this year … I don’t see why it shouldn’t be the same with the man himself.

Currently listening to : Atmosphere – Pour me another. A toast to my scotch loving grandfather.

And on a photographic note, it’s been awhile since I carried my digital camera around. The mamiya 7 is really causing me to see things in a different way and I’m starting to notice it more. Not sure if this is good or bad, there’s a place for every tool …. but I like the place this has me at right now.