Light Dimmed, Dim Sum, Bright Some

An end, and fueling up to prepare for new beginnings.

This morning the parentals were out in the city on the Upper Westside to attend the (rather early) funeral of a friend to our family - the son of someone who played an important part in setting us up for economic security in this country. He died early by current standards - we are guessing he was shy of 70, survived by a wife and 7 year old daughter. Poor child. Life isn't fair a lot of the time. May she be protected and guided and cared for, and grow to be strong and well adjusted.

With the service concluding during late morning - brunch time, Papa Rooster and Mama Hen swung by to get Sissy and me for classic Chinatown old school dim sum at Jing Fong (relocated from its old home where we had known it). The restaurant was decked out with blooming quince branches for the coming holiday.

Afterward, we wrapped the Chinatown visit with some shopping, and took in the markets and colorful goods, fresh flowers, brightly packaged special foods laid out for Lunar New Year preparations. Between this weekend and being in Northern Virginia last weekend, for the first time in years, I feel properly in the new year spirit - ready, relatively relaxed, receptive to the new season and all the living to be done ahead. 

It's certainly nowhere near perfect. I will almost undoubtedly blow well past my Tết private deadline for getting myself into re-hostessing state. But my home, and I, are a work in process.