On Saturday, future daughter-in-law Aubrie and I spent the afternoon together in New Harmony. Brunch at the Red Geranium, a long walk, fun conversation, gorgeous weather – it was just lovely.

I could kick myself for not talking a few photos, but despite decades as a publicist, my instincts lean more toward preserving memories with words.

This is the only photo I took:

This book drop-off outside of the Working Men’s Institute charmed us up the stone steps and inside for a peek. Established in 1838, this brick fortress includes a library, museum, and memorial to the Utopian dream.

As Aubrie and I wandered into the library portion of WMI, I noticed a familiar fellow perched on a wooden chair.

“Look! It’s Arfer! Arfer the Hardbark!”

You know, Arfer:

When our John was diagnosed as far-sighted, he was just starting school. His favorite cartoon character at the time was Arthur, a rather intellectual young aardvark who liked books, playing piano, and reasoning out life’s challenges with his friends. (Arthur was a welcome relief at our house. It meant John had finally moved on from Barney the Purple Dinosaur!)

When John needed glasses, we reminded him that Arthur wore them as well. We found a cuddly plush version of the little fellow to help remind our son that glasses weren’t the end of the world. Even though he’d long since mastered the character’s name, the bespectacled aardvark was still (and always will be) “Arfer the Hardbark” to Gary and me.

Despite the comparison to Arthur, John still wasn’t crazy about wearing glasses. At one point, he asked if he could just wear a monocle, but the eye doctor was not able to comply (although he called his young patient “Mr. Peanut” for a number of years after that).

Swapping stories with Aubrie on Saturday was the first of what I hope will be many lunches together as we look to the future. I’m not sure how much insight the Arfer story provided on the man she’s chosen to marry, but as her thoughts focus on wedding plans, she knows her future is full of kindness, love, and laughter.

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