I took a slight departure from my road trip to head to North Carolina for my nephew Zachary's confirmation. For those of you who have never been to NC, it is one of the most family oriented communities I have ever visited. My brother and his wife Marisa have a fantastic home in a golf community where kids run around the neighborhood just like we used to do in Barstow (unfortunately, we didn't live in a golf community...in fact Barstow only had one nine-hole golf course!). My son Eli has the ultimate hero worship for his cousin Zachary. They literally could pass for brothers, though they are four years apart. They both love sports, games and card tricks (Eli says Zachary gets the ladies with his card tricks). 
We spent four days doing the kinds of things that are very difficult to do when you live in NYC. We played golf, baseball and a serious game of wiffle ball -- where the old men (Me and John), schooled Zachary and Eli. 
I love my time with John as we really solve the world's problems. Or least we think we do. We philosophize, bullshit, smoke cigars and drink a variety of different types of scotch. One thing that I have learned over the years, particularly after both of my parents passed, is to truly appreciate the time that I get to spend with brothers and sisters. I never take them for granted!As Zachary's sponsor I was asked to walk in procession with him and were then seated in the front row (Zach did one of the readings). Crazy to see how big he has grown and what a man he is becoming. Makes me proud and hopeful that Eli will have a lot of the same characteristics -- funny, handsome, smart ass and most importantly extremely bright.
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