Home again home again
I apoligize for the verbosity of this post. I had an unexpectedly good time at home. I usually plan to stay 4-5 days every three or four months and then head back to the real world. This time I had planned on 5 days, but was having an enjoyable time and since I had the week off, I stayed for two extra days. I've never done that before, maybe it's because I haven't had the time to go home in ten months. The first night was kind of annoying because my brother's best friend and his wife and baby were visiting for the first time in a few years and they came over, so I had to sit and be social with people I don't really know, which isn't my idea of relaxing.
Anyway, day two one of my brothers and my parents took me to my birthday lunch at my favorite restaurant. Their Italian dressing is to die for. I had an antipasto for one and a delmonico steak on Italian toast and hot fudge sundae. The thing about this place is that no matter what you get, it will be fall apart in your mouth amazing. That night I went to hang out with my neighbor who I've dropped in on since I was little, she's 31 years older and I would visit at least weekly since second grade. She is a retired teacher and was getting ready for a trip to Las Vegas. She gets to travel a lot. She was working on this craft thing for her church and she showed me how to make a small scrapbook out of some thick paper, cardboard and some cloth. I made one with her and plan to put pictures of my 'little' in it and decorate it for her.
Sunday my mom and I went to visit her best friend out of town, I call her my other mother since she was at my house almost daily until she moved out of town. Her other best friend was out of town, so we just chatted at my other mother's house, and were at one point apparently interrupted by the spirit of the woman who killed herself there. The plan had been to do lunch, but my mom's friend was busy cooking, so around five I told my mom I had a headache from not eating and I treated her to dinner. The restaurant is another of my favorites. It's in the town where I went to my first college and every Tuesday my first semester during my five hour break, my mom would come pick me up and bring me to lunch there. I had their wonderful manicotti and their ginormous roll and of course I couldn't pass up their homemade vanilla ice cream and had another hot fudge sundae!
Monday was pretty chill, I hung around the house all day with my mom and then got ready to go meet my best friend. She doesn't drive, so I picked her up at her house and we drove into town. She showed me the house that they are in the process of buying and tried to take me to some fabulous little Italian/Hungarian restaurant, but it was closed, as most eateries are closed there on Mondays. We ended up going to this upscale place, but we didn't enjoy the food that much. It was nice to have several courses so we could chat for a long time. There is very little to do in her town, it's where she went to school and that's about fifteen minutes from where I went to school, so we got to talk to each other daily. We wandered around a bunch of random stores and I started my Christmas shopping since I saw things I know would be on people's lists. We stopped at a dessert place called Scoopuccino's and grabbed some dessert, I brought pie home to my parents and she to her husband. We watched some t.v. at her place and caught up. I miss her like crazy and every time we get together it's as if no time had passed, but I wish we still talked daily.
Tuesday was my birthday and I had my mom make cube steak and homemade French fries. My cake was wonderful. I'm big on white cake and white frosting, exactly like a wedding cake, and it was perfect. My brother's both joined us and I got some spending cash and a beautiful candle holder. It was fairly low key though, I'm used to big birthday's here, girl and I give each other a birthday week, but she was away at Aussie nationals, so it was nice to have a birthday at home for the first time in years. I had my favorite aunt come over in the morning so she and mom could fill in some blanks about gram's life and so they could tell me their favorite stories about her.
Wednesday I spent a lot of time at the cemetery talking to my Gram and writing for my novel about her. I visit her grave each time I'm home, but this was the first time I was crying before my butt even hit the ground. I think it's probably because working on the book is keeping her very close to my heart. That night I got to meet three of my new cousins, Jack is a year and a half and the twins are a couple months. I spend a quiet night at home with Dad since he works during the day and I don't get a chance to see him otherwise.
Thursday I lounged in my pj's then drove around taking pictures of foliage. This is the first time in years that I've timed my visit just right and the trees were breath-taking. I went to visit another Aunt with my dad and then came home to spend my last evening with the family.
It's always bittersweet to leave. I get so depressed at home with the state of things, but I miss being able to just lounge with my family. Spiro had an amazing time, she loved running through the leaves and tormenting my Jack Russell Terrier. Beacon even seemed to enjoy herself. She let people touch her and spent a lot of time cuddling with my mom on the couch. It was a week packed with people and places, and I'm glad I decided to stay a couple extra days. My dad always cries when I leave, which makes me cry for like the first hour of my trip home.
Beacon playing in the leaves.
Pretty Beacon.
Spiro in the leaves.
Look mom, I dug my first hole.
Beautiful foliage.
Perfection.
My cell phone takes some kick ass photographs
Me being mysterious, oooo, ooooo.
Anyway, day two one of my brothers and my parents took me to my birthday lunch at my favorite restaurant. Their Italian dressing is to die for. I had an antipasto for one and a delmonico steak on Italian toast and hot fudge sundae. The thing about this place is that no matter what you get, it will be fall apart in your mouth amazing. That night I went to hang out with my neighbor who I've dropped in on since I was little, she's 31 years older and I would visit at least weekly since second grade. She is a retired teacher and was getting ready for a trip to Las Vegas. She gets to travel a lot. She was working on this craft thing for her church and she showed me how to make a small scrapbook out of some thick paper, cardboard and some cloth. I made one with her and plan to put pictures of my 'little' in it and decorate it for her.
Sunday my mom and I went to visit her best friend out of town, I call her my other mother since she was at my house almost daily until she moved out of town. Her other best friend was out of town, so we just chatted at my other mother's house, and were at one point apparently interrupted by the spirit of the woman who killed herself there. The plan had been to do lunch, but my mom's friend was busy cooking, so around five I told my mom I had a headache from not eating and I treated her to dinner. The restaurant is another of my favorites. It's in the town where I went to my first college and every Tuesday my first semester during my five hour break, my mom would come pick me up and bring me to lunch there. I had their wonderful manicotti and their ginormous roll and of course I couldn't pass up their homemade vanilla ice cream and had another hot fudge sundae!
Monday was pretty chill, I hung around the house all day with my mom and then got ready to go meet my best friend. She doesn't drive, so I picked her up at her house and we drove into town. She showed me the house that they are in the process of buying and tried to take me to some fabulous little Italian/Hungarian restaurant, but it was closed, as most eateries are closed there on Mondays. We ended up going to this upscale place, but we didn't enjoy the food that much. It was nice to have several courses so we could chat for a long time. There is very little to do in her town, it's where she went to school and that's about fifteen minutes from where I went to school, so we got to talk to each other daily. We wandered around a bunch of random stores and I started my Christmas shopping since I saw things I know would be on people's lists. We stopped at a dessert place called Scoopuccino's and grabbed some dessert, I brought pie home to my parents and she to her husband. We watched some t.v. at her place and caught up. I miss her like crazy and every time we get together it's as if no time had passed, but I wish we still talked daily.
Tuesday was my birthday and I had my mom make cube steak and homemade French fries. My cake was wonderful. I'm big on white cake and white frosting, exactly like a wedding cake, and it was perfect. My brother's both joined us and I got some spending cash and a beautiful candle holder. It was fairly low key though, I'm used to big birthday's here, girl and I give each other a birthday week, but she was away at Aussie nationals, so it was nice to have a birthday at home for the first time in years. I had my favorite aunt come over in the morning so she and mom could fill in some blanks about gram's life and so they could tell me their favorite stories about her.
Wednesday I spent a lot of time at the cemetery talking to my Gram and writing for my novel about her. I visit her grave each time I'm home, but this was the first time I was crying before my butt even hit the ground. I think it's probably because working on the book is keeping her very close to my heart. That night I got to meet three of my new cousins, Jack is a year and a half and the twins are a couple months. I spend a quiet night at home with Dad since he works during the day and I don't get a chance to see him otherwise.
Thursday I lounged in my pj's then drove around taking pictures of foliage. This is the first time in years that I've timed my visit just right and the trees were breath-taking. I went to visit another Aunt with my dad and then came home to spend my last evening with the family.
It's always bittersweet to leave. I get so depressed at home with the state of things, but I miss being able to just lounge with my family. Spiro had an amazing time, she loved running through the leaves and tormenting my Jack Russell Terrier. Beacon even seemed to enjoy herself. She let people touch her and spent a lot of time cuddling with my mom on the couch. It was a week packed with people and places, and I'm glad I decided to stay a couple extra days. My dad always cries when I leave, which makes me cry for like the first hour of my trip home.
Beacon playing in the leaves.
Pretty Beacon.
Spiro in the leaves.
Look mom, I dug my first hole.
Beautiful foliage.
Perfection.
My cell phone takes some kick ass photographs
Me being mysterious, oooo, ooooo.