My Pueblo Picture Book

This sign in front of the Teddy Bear factory says it all: Make Time to Connect. That's exactly what this trip was about. Stepping out of our lives and careers and planning for the Obama victory party to meet up with family and celebrate Jeff's dad and his heroism and fortitude. It's worth the plane delays and snafus attendant to travel these days to meet up with family and share some time reflecting on history, enjoying the present, and visioning about the future.

Taking our bridal theme on the road, Jeff and I posed in front of the Vermont Teddy Bear factory.

The bounty of Vermont! It's not just cheese and syrup, people. It's the greatest produce I have tasted in my life. The tomatoes we sampled at Shelburne Farms were as sweet as a jolly rancher, though not nearly as hard.

Jeff and I opt for artsy self-portraits while taking a tour of Shelburne Farms. Vermont is the most eco-conscious place I have ever been in my life. I celebrated that with my own style, when I bought a pair of kermit-colored cordouroy pants at J.Crew. Living La Vida Verde!!!

Jeff gathers his thoughts in front of the host hotel before attending Pueblo Bar-B-Que. I am probably biased, but he's CUTE!!!

Jeff's dad and Charlie Crandall, former federal prison warden. Charlie has the best laugh of anyone I have ever met. We enjoyed Bar-B-Que and prison stories with Charlie and his wife, Marlene. I happened to mention that I have a client in Parchman Prison (in Mississippi) and I believe I made a friend for life.

Jeff and I join the Pueblo crew for a tour of Ben & Jerry's ice cream factory. We got to sample Sweet Cream & Cookies ice cream. It was really, really good.

Jeff and David taking in some local Vermont color. Vermontans love their cows, cheese, maple syrup, and cider.

Jeff and I acknowledge our burning desire for one another by posing next to a fire engine from the great town of Burlington, VT.

Me and Celia sharing a moment in front of lovely petunias. She's even cuter in person. I have never met a woman with so much energy. If we would have suggested that we all go bungee jumping at the end of the night, she would have led the charge.

Los hombres Ellis! I look at this picture and think that genes will be good to my future children. There is so much to love in this picture. Jeff, his dad and his brother, David.

Jeff's dad and stepmom, Celia, enjoying food and friends at the closing banquet, along with former shipmate, Paul. Paul was a hilarious dinner companion, whose antics included razzing Jeff and Steve for being attorneys and going to the "dark side, while lauding David for being a CPA and staying on the side of goodness. Paul looks like a mix between Kenny Rogers and George Carlin.

Here are all of the brave men-- brave to survive their North Korean captivity and brave to show up at a reunion where long-buried feelings may swell to the surface. Jeff's dad, Steve Ellis, is kneeling in the front row, third from the left. Very nimble man, able to kneel with the agility of a man half his age. (This picture convinces me that I need a camera that will take better pictures. If I am going to be a shutterbug, I want to at least produce an image with clarity and focus. )