Our trip home was truly, for the most part, uneventful. We enjoyed a few discounts based on our military status - thank you to the patriotic Americans who are supporting our husbands in this way! And speaking of patriotic, Seafoam the intrepid islander got to read a map off the hood of a car - she squealed, "Look, I'm American!"
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| She never had to read maps before - but now she can scout out the next town and find a hotel there like a pro! |
"I always wondered why somebody would want to wash their car window at a gas station!" she enthused, taking pictures as I squeegeed the smattered bodies of bugs from the windshield. I'm guessing that, driving on an island, you'd routinely wash your car long before you hit a thousand miles. "This makes perfect sense!"
It was refreshing to visit home.
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| my little sister and I visit a fountain. I advised her to NOT stay dry ... |
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| Fortunately, she listens to her big sister! |
Who knew I'd miss the familiar clouds and rain after weeks of sun and warm climates? But I did. It was delightful to visit with family, even though I hadn't even been gone all that long - only a few months.
On our drive home, we had passed thousands, millions of Americans. Covered hundreds of miles. Drove through big towns, little towns, big cities, farming land, grassland, deserts, mountains, forest, suburbia. As I looked out the bug be-spattered windshield I couldn't help but think of my husband, many miles farther, working his tail off with the Navy. He was there, so you could be here. He was working, so you could take a vacation. His job ensured your farm, your children playing in the backyard safely, your church holding services publicly, your ballot going in the box on a Tuesday.
I know he wouldn't trade that for anything in the world.
Neither would I.
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| Seafoam warned me she is going to steal Mr H's dog, who is cared for and lives with Mr H's loving parents with a "brother" dog named Max and some cats. |
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| The road-weary Kia gets an oil change, a thorough vacuuming, and is washed to a sparkly shine! It's a double blessing to have a dad that'll pay my way home in hotels, and a dad-in-law who will get me back on the road in one piece! |
"Could you be here by Saturday?"
My husband sent me this message at 4:00 in the afternoon on Sunday, the day after we had gotten home.
I sent him a return message that of course it would be possible, and I would run it by Seafoam. I found her in the kitchen just getting off the phone with her husband, Mr T, and when I told her, she filled me in on the rest of the story. Mr T had been telling my husband how he wished we would be there sooner rather than later. "Do you think they could be here by Saturday?" he had asked. My Mr H apparently told him: "Watch this ... they'll be here." He sent me the text, I dutifully sent my reply, and apparently played right into their hands.
This meant we had to leave by Friday - morning, preferably, but by noon if we had to, since we had a lot of packing to do in between!
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| A family dinner of bean soup, Irish soda bread, and a WWII chocolate ration cake with butterscotch frosting, all eaten around the kitchen table with enough rabble-rousing to compete with a rousing rabble! |
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| My baby cousin enjoys his yogurt just as much as the next guy |
Fortunately, we got it all done - we weren't going to miss out on our next adventure! And we would make it to California not a day too soon. We got to do a little babysitting - and let's just say this babysitting made my mischievous yogurt-covered baby cousin look like a walk in the park.
You really won't guess what's coming next,
Mrs H
twitter.com/_mrs_h
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| A rustic loaf of Irish soda bread is the perfect pairing for a soup or stew dinner. The Irish came up with it as a quick, hearty bread that they could make for dinner after a full day of working without waiting for it to rise; this principle still works today! Serve plain, or with butter or cheese. |
Fum, fun, fun! I like being on the road with you! :-)
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