Monday, January 7, 2013

A Visit from the Fabulous Jenn

Normally, I try to make the weeks after the holidays as low key as possible: I catch up on paperwork at the shop (usually lots of it, since I'm too busy to do it while we're in the middle of the busy season), start planning the next book I'm going to work on, but otherwise just rest up and try to catch my breath.

This year, I got something even better...a visit from the fabulous Jennifer Holling-Blake.

That's the two of us, a few minutes before she left on Sunday morning, on her way home to San Jose, where she now lives (via a lovely visit with my sister, BIL and their girls in Schenectady). She got in the previous Sunday with her pal Jonah, who lives about an hour and a half from here and was kind enough to get her at the airport, drive her to Oneonta, and then spend the week ferrying her around to see all her various friends and relatives.

Yes, very clever--you noticed that we share the same last name. You probably also noticed that she doesn't look a bit like me. That's because she's my step-daughter, one of the few good things that came out of my brief marriage to her father back in the mid-80's. I met her dad when she was 1, so she doesn't remember a time when I wasn't in her life, and our relationship was so important (to both of us) that I fought to keep it even after the divorce when she was 5. Needless to say, that worked out pretty well. Here's a not very good scan of two pictures from the distant past... No laughing at my bangs, people. It was the 80's.


These days, Jenn and I are closer than ever; she was a member of my coven, Blue Moon Circle, back when she still lived here, and actually ended up moving to San Jose after attending Pantheacon there with me a few years ago.
Jenn goofing around with my editor Elysia. I don't know which one is cuter.

We still talk on the phone at least a couple times a week, but I miss having her here, so it was wonderful to have her visit and stay for a bit. We celebrated her birthday, which was on New Year's Day, along with her mom Jo, our friend Ellen, and Jonah. And spend lots of time just hanging out and playing games (she and Jonah are both serious gamers). And eating, of course. [That's Jenn, Ellen, Jo, and Jonah. You can't see her in this picture, but Magic the Cat is sitting in the chair towards the front, which she stole as soon as I got up to take the photo.]
Now she's gone back to CA, and while I'm not sorry to have my house back (and be able to get back to work), it does seem just a little bit empty around here...

Jenn may not be the child of my body, but she is the child of my heart, and I am lucky to have her.


11 comments:

  1. Deborah I know how you feel. I have had a friend named Brian since we were about 15 or so. We've had a big sister/younger brother relationship and when he got married to Jennifer in '93 and their first child was born I was naturally "Aunt" Kit and Lauren was a delight. We looked a lot alike when she was little and several times she was mistaken for my daughter. As she grew up she turned out more like me and I would randomly joke and ask how the two of them had MY child. I've always been there for her no matter what and now we joke that she's my adopted daughter. I call her my darling daughter and she calls me mommy. Sometimes the best family you have is the one made by your hearts.

    Kit

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Kit--
      How lovely! And you're absolutely right. My friends Robin and George have two kids who call me "Aunt Debbie" and are family too.

      Delete
  2. I'm glad you guys had such a wonderful time together!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The only thing that could have made it better would be if you had been here too!

      Delete
  3. It sounds like a terrific time! Glad you got to be together.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It was great. I wish that I'd had a little more energy, but anyone who visits me after the Christmas push gets what they get :-)

      Delete
  4. I love this post :) It makes my heart happy! But mostly because I miss Jenn, too.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We're hoping to get her back out again, maybe towards the end of the summer. And she PROMISED she'd figure out a way to see you the next time. She really wants to see the kids, too. They stared at her from my new picture the whole time she was here. (You can even see Sophie looking out from behind us in the first photo.) She was supposed to meet up with Shannon, and didn't manage that either. So we'll definitely work something out. She misses you too!

      Delete
  5. Oh, that's nice. So nice that you kept up that relationship. :-)

    ReplyDelete
  6. Ahh you look so sweet together in all the pics!

    ReplyDelete
  7. I'm so glad you got to spend your holiday time with the people you love most! Your relationship with Jenn is an inspiration. :)

    ReplyDelete

ShareThis