ONE OF LIFE'S BONUSES--

All three of my very-much-grown children were home last week  Local son Brian (left) was joined by his sister TJ (Jacksonville) and younger brother Craig (northern Indiana) for a collective romp in their old stomping grounds.

TJ was here with son Eli for a much needed break from the pressures of her work in the executive level of the banking industry and Craig was helping Brian with a huge, deck construction project--when he was not busy enjoying the races at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.

They were clowning around (above) while dad was fussing with the camera and repeated the hi-jinx at the photographer's encouragement when dad's aging fingers missed the original silliness.

That's Craig's marvelously restored 1977 Volkswagen bus being used as the stage for the shot.  He acquired the vehicle as a fire-damaged basket case, bared it to the soul of its components and restored it to the eye-catching treasure it is today.

It has the original 70-something horsepower engine so there were lots of laughs when smashed insects were noticed on the front of the vehicle.  Knowledgeable folks were astounded the little bus could achieve a speed sufficient to kill bugs.

Others quipped the insects evidently were traveling at high speed and flew into the front of the bus while it was parked somewhere.

During the treasured interlude of their visit there was time for some dinners and campfires and gatherings with old friends.  ...and some mother/son fishing on the homestead pond below.

As quickly as the visit assembled itself it poofed into the warm fuzz of life's history.

And, I'm very thankful for such memories.