These two above are precisely the kind of people I'm talking about. That's my cousin's husband, Jay, and her childhood friend from Hyampom Korin.
Jay's been in the family now for over twenty years. He's like Midas turning everything he touches into gold. I've lost count of the things this guy has done in his career, but he always makes it look effortless, and his brain is continually reeling with ideas. It can be a bit exhausting to watch, but I want to spend a week following him, although I'd need a segway to keep up.
On this trip, like he is when he visits Florida, he was the master. I just followed. He organized the meals. Then he prepared them and cooked them. He's quite good at asking for suggestions but even better at swaying us to his way so that we don't even know that it has happened. I'm quite content to let someone else take the helm in cooking, and all that entails. Plus, the man can grill!
He did the driving. To Hyampom. To the river. To town. To San Francisco and through San Francisco. Not only did he drive, but he handled the rental car and our accommodations after leaving Hyampom. All done effortlessly and with confidence that the rest of us would follow, which we all did. Because, duh, why wouldn't we? That's a leader.
Korin was another one that I want to follow. She walked into the door and was like Mary Poppins only Korin came with multiple bags instead of just one. She's a consultant with My Thirty-One, the bag company. A fun job in between her real one as a teacher.
She bounces into a room with a face that oozes happiness. Always smiling. She came with an endless supply of anything we needed. Seriously. Someone bleeding? She had a first aid kit. Garbage overflowing in the can? She pulled out two travel and go garbage containers, one for trash, one for recycling. She had an endless supply of food and liquor. She came with coolers and the coolest ice maker on the planet that made ice cubes every six minutes.
She can do anything. I genuinely believe that. Throwing a last-minute party? Korin will have your place decorated with homemade party favors, and food spread all from things pulled from her magic bags or that she found in your home. In like two hours, I swear.
When Jay announced our next move, Korin was right there with a packed cooler and bags of things we didn't even know we needed. While Jay cooked dinner, Korin was serving appetizers decorated with garnishes from a garden I swear she hoed and planted upon her arrival. On the day of Maya's father's memorial, a discussion was had regarding the spreading of the ashes, and suddenly Korin was holding a class on crafting out of newspaper so that everyone had a beautiful little homemade bowl to gather ashes for sprinkling.
Mary Poppins, this woman. Trust me. I was totally in awe of her and her abilities. She never had an unkind word about anyone. She totally went with the flow, changing it if need be like Jay so that we all just said, "but of course that makes sense." All with her cheerful smile and sunny disposition. It was crazy. She was a whirlwind, and never once did she have to raise her voice or clap her hands despite her tiny height. She's just commanding.
It was a joy to sit back and have these two run the show. Especially for someone like me, in a traveling situation where I knew nothing.
They are what I'm asking for this Christmas. I want a Jay and a Korin.
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