Friday, September 10, 2004
Back to the grind
Bleah. Vacation's over and it's back to reality. I've been too weary to write the last couple of days. I figure it's a combination of jet lag, lack of sleep, the internal/external pressure to put in some overtime and the endeavor to catch up with chores on the homefront. I wish I could write a nice little travelogue like Rev. Doug did, but I didn't do it while I had the time. Of course, I don't know if I really could wring something amusing out of hanging about and going out to eat. Anyway, I should attempt to list some highlights:
--The sound of my mom's voice when she found out that I was at the airport and she hadn't picked us up. (My fault. At one point I had told her that we were coming in on the 22nd rather than the 21st, the actual day of arrival.)
--The warm welcome we got at our former church. But that was offset by the chill of hearing folks honestly admit the possibility that it might have to close down.
--Once again catching Atwater-Donnelly in Hinsdale and then hearing Poodlepums' dive into the songbook I bought there.
--Chasing up to Wisconsin to watch the delivery of my aunt's manufactured home and watching people's reactions as half a house was hauled through the middle of the town of Lake Geneva. It's great when you have time to indulge in such trivialities.
--Watching my nephew Boop tear through my folks house. Now I know why my baby sister has more gray hair than I do.
--Visiting with my friend Donnie and her folks after all these years. It's nice to see that some people never change.
--SItting around my mom's PC and singing Christmas carols with my Mom and the kids. (My brother had burned a CD of a concert he gave and it wouldn't play on mom's stereo.)
--Managing to actually get some family information out of old German church records.
--Not only getting served an actual meal aboard an airplane, but also enjoying it. Alaska rocks!
--Oh, and how could I forget the little love notes from the Transportation Security Administration left in two of our suitcases? I'm torn between saving them as keepsakes or using them as bookmarks. Maybe I'll save one and employ the other.
--The sound of my mom's voice when she found out that I was at the airport and she hadn't picked us up. (My fault. At one point I had told her that we were coming in on the 22nd rather than the 21st, the actual day of arrival.)
--The warm welcome we got at our former church. But that was offset by the chill of hearing folks honestly admit the possibility that it might have to close down.
--Once again catching Atwater-Donnelly in Hinsdale and then hearing Poodlepums' dive into the songbook I bought there.
--Chasing up to Wisconsin to watch the delivery of my aunt's manufactured home and watching people's reactions as half a house was hauled through the middle of the town of Lake Geneva. It's great when you have time to indulge in such trivialities.
--Watching my nephew Boop tear through my folks house. Now I know why my baby sister has more gray hair than I do.
--Visiting with my friend Donnie and her folks after all these years. It's nice to see that some people never change.
--SItting around my mom's PC and singing Christmas carols with my Mom and the kids. (My brother had burned a CD of a concert he gave and it wouldn't play on mom's stereo.)
--Managing to actually get some family information out of old German church records.
--Not only getting served an actual meal aboard an airplane, but also enjoying it. Alaska rocks!
--Oh, and how could I forget the little love notes from the Transportation Security Administration left in two of our suitcases? I'm torn between saving them as keepsakes or using them as bookmarks. Maybe I'll save one and employ the other.
