who and what we saw

Over week later, here is the conclusion to my recent post on our road trip to our former residential area.

Four of us wondered towards our former home.

Twice before in the past 18 months I'd taken such a road trip, almost 8 hours round trip, returning home the same day.

Always rushed, decidedly this time we ensured we could afford a bit longer time there.

• Older daughter was going to attend a birthday bonfire the same night as we left, and then a girl's only afternoon/dinner out on the following day.

• Younger son and daughter were invited to take in the farming experience of a dear friend, believe it or not, named Renee, same as me!

My "little" friend Renee. :)


Renee and her family surprised us last summer by stopping in on their way camping. Loved that super spontaneous visit!

• On the farm, a new litter of kittens born that very morning awaited our children along with tales of an abandoned raccoon they had been nursing.

• New lambs, cows, a rather large wild turkey, chickens, goats, and other assorted animals required feeding and tending to, that is around all the ATV action with the father there, and all the land exploring in rubber boots offered to them.

• Renee instructed me over the telephone ahead of time she would be booting me off to "look after myself" for a time out. An RN herself, she insisted I get in a deep tissue massage to assist in my migraine/former injury issues, also to visit my former chiropractor, and have a detoxing ionic footbath.

Taking time for me like this is sometimes a foreign thing, looking after everyone else instead (pathetic one of my adult children tells me), but even for me, admittedly this was sorely overdue. I haven't been able to equal the type of care I had in our former area, still trying though. Overall, it was THE BEST THING I actually did while there, headaches are gone.

And then, we visited together around a few other friends. We ate, we laughed, we loved the time our children were able to steal together. Fond memories. Beautiful children, all.

• We were all disappointed to drive by our former home to find its ramshackled appearance. Fencing panels and gates were down, property was unkempt, and one neighbor I spoke with who said they all missed us around there something awful. Awwww....as he tugs those heartstrings.

Our daughter was disappointed to see her beloved 4 hour per week lawn mowing chore she loved so much not tended to. She told me she missed mowing the lawn over there.

Our younger two wanted to drive away. I realized just how much I missed our little red hip-roof barn. A barn should be red.

We designed and built that beloved little barn, loved it! The photo still sits on my blog's side bar.

• We saw our sweet lady from down the road on her daily walk, a handicapped woman the entire area became protective over and loved to stop and chat with. She often appeared in our driveway to say hello, on her way down the road to no where during one of these daily walks. Loved her so it was sweet to see her waving at us again.

It was a good road trip. Next time my husband said he would love to come and sit by this water's edge to watch the sun set.

Yep, next time he will.