Willie and Owen Last Night at Dinner
Spring Break! More visitors in town. More Walking Tour brochures needed at the church. More time to work in the garden. Grandkids coming to visit for a few days.
Oh! Wait! We don’t have any grandchildren. But… we are the luckiest wannabees in the world! The Bays Boys, Willie and Owen, are the next best thing or maybe even better. They are fourteen and eleven now, respectively. They’ve been coming here since before they were born. Willie learned to crawl on our carpet. Owen learned to ride his first two-wheeler in the lane by our house. At five, Willie played Irish flute to an amazed Vespers audience. At six, Owen learned the intricacies of chicken farming from Nyel and now has chickens of his own at home in Olympia.
Busking in Seattle, 2012
The boys and their parents, Randal Bays and Susan Waters, are here every summer for a few days. They come to do a Music Vespers program and stay to pick apples (both), cut the grass using the rider mower (Owen), and entertain us non-stop on the piano (Willie). Owen-the-chef learned to fry oysters at our stove. Willie-the-jazz-musician poured over Nyel’s books on blacksmithing the summer he was eight; last night he arrived sporting a big Bernie button and talking knowledgeably about the current political scene.
Willie is six feet tall now and Owen, not quite into his growth spurt, stands at five feet exactly. Nyel is still taller than Willie by an inch or so; ditto me and Owen. But of course, while they’ve been growing, we’ve been shrinking. It’s what grandparents (even faux ones) do. Randal claims (hopefully?) that Willie won’t surpass his own 6 feet two and Susan isn’t here to weigh in the matter. (Unfortunately, her current job doesn’t come with a Spring Break, so it’s a Father-and-Sons-Vacation this time.)
Randal Bays Family Band, 2014
Today they will probably head for the beach, although I didn’t hear it mentioned on the list of to-do priorities. Randal is hoping to inspect our chicken coop so he and Owen can build one like it in their backyard. Also on their list is a trip to Bailey’s Bakery and Café where, over the years, they have often played in exchange for lunch– but that will have to be tomorrow; Jayne is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
And did I hear one of them suggest busking in Long Beach? Maybe. As always, they have their instruments with them – but I’m not sure which ones. For Randal, it could be his fiddle or guitar; for Willie a flute or fiddle; probably the concertina for Owen (though he’s been known to busk drumming on a box.) So if you happen to hear some lilting Irish music and see three good looking guys playing around town, stop and say ‘hello.’ They’ll be glad you did!
Yes, we are getting into farmers’ market/busking season! Have a wonderful time with an amazing family!