Home Again From Near and Far

 I've just come inside from sitting on the porch listening to heavy rain as dusk turned to darkness. This was just what we imagined when we added a roof to our porch. Even though it was only for a short while, I enjoyed how peaceful it was.

But last weekend was a different story. Miss Landers, her friend, and I went to West Virginia for our annual family reunion. It was great to catch up with my cousins and their families; however, when we make a trip to WV, there is always too much to do in too short a time. It's a six-hour drive each way, so we travel the day before the reunion and leave after the reunion to head home.

Eight of the twenty-three first cousins were at my family gathering. Sadly, three of them have already passed.

One of the things we did this time was to visit two different cemeteries to clean markers, trim the grass, and decorate with flowers. It was a lovely opportunity to reflect on those who have come before us. But to tell the truth, I was distracted by the heat. The sun was bearing down, and I got a little cranky. I would like to say that I rose above my discomfort with a complete show of reverence, but I wasn't that evolved. But in the end, I honored my relatives. And my mother would have been happy, as that is what she taught us to do.

We try to get to JR's Donut Castle if we can. Their bakery products can't be beat. My Uncle Skip used to go there every morning before work, so we always think about him when we visit. And BTW, when was the last time you saw a working pay phone?

We also visited a homebound cousin and went to various stores to purchase West Virginia products that we can only find when we visit. 

Mr. Bee potato chips are the only chips made in West Virginia.
They are made in Parkersburg, where my family is from.

Sometimes, we stay two nights to break up the travel, but not this time because Ward was coming home. I left Friday morning, and he came home Friday evening from his vacation in Poland. Needless to say, we were anxious to see each other. I wouldn't say that I spent the time he was away pining after him, but boy, was I happy to see him.

However, there was a little adjusting to do, also. He was totally mixed up from jet lag and long travels, and I had started sleeping in an "L" position in our bed with my legs making a 90-degree angle and filling his space. We're back to normal ways now, and all is good. 

Until next time...