April 1
28 years to the day we first moved into this home, we moved back in today.
It was celebration and thanks. We saluted our Seabreeze that had performed so well, giving us safe transport and refuge from tornado warnings, tropical deluge, and icy roads. It transported us to places of which we had dreamed and had provided us experiences beyond those dreams. It joined in the long line of trucks on the interstates and exited to the narrow byways of rural and scenic America. It revealed to us the uniqueness of this land, carrying us down Old Still Road, Lick Skillet Drive, over Hard Labor Creek and down to Fraction Bottoms. It steered us through Tough Luck Lane and Snapfinger Road, over Fish Eating Creek and down to Poverty Flats. And she stopped and stayed 7 weeks by the road that epitomized our trip, Linger Longer Road.
The Seabreeze stopped in 58 different places to allow us to sleep. Four were rest stops along the road, two were Wal-Marts, two were fairgrounds and one was the town park. Four were homes of family and friends. There were 35 fuel stops, always an experience since, towing a car, we are 50 feet long. The 11,400 miles took its toll. As we pulled into home today, duct tape held the back bumper from flapping in the wind and held one windshield wiper from dangling ineffectively.
An amazing element of the trip is that Barb and I were not sick one day. No colds, no flu, no digestion problems or infections this year. Fire ant bites and no seeums caused some discomfort, but our health was better than the norm. Perhaps it was the fresh air, perhaps it was the thrill of discovery, or perhaps it was, as we have felt the entire trip, that we were undeniably blessed.
Since early January, except for the one hotel night in Mississippi, our bedroom has been in the Seabreeze. Tonight we sleep in our home. But tomorrow, as I awake, I will walk out to check that she is well, I will pause and pat her on the side on my way to pick up the paper, and I will thank her again for a memorable experience of discovery. And I will reassure her that more adventures lie ahead.
“The longest journey is the journey inwards, of him who has chosen his destiny, who has started upon his quest for the source of his being.” Dag Hammarskjöld
28 years to the day we first moved into this home, we moved back in today.
It was celebration and thanks. We saluted our Seabreeze that had performed so well, giving us safe transport and refuge from tornado warnings, tropical deluge, and icy roads. It transported us to places of which we had dreamed and had provided us experiences beyond those dreams. It joined in the long line of trucks on the interstates and exited to the narrow byways of rural and scenic America. It revealed to us the uniqueness of this land, carrying us down Old Still Road, Lick Skillet Drive, over Hard Labor Creek and down to Fraction Bottoms. It steered us through Tough Luck Lane and Snapfinger Road, over Fish Eating Creek and down to Poverty Flats. And she stopped and stayed 7 weeks by the road that epitomized our trip, Linger Longer Road.
The Seabreeze stopped in 58 different places to allow us to sleep. Four were rest stops along the road, two were Wal-Marts, two were fairgrounds and one was the town park. Four were homes of family and friends. There were 35 fuel stops, always an experience since, towing a car, we are 50 feet long. The 11,400 miles took its toll. As we pulled into home today, duct tape held the back bumper from flapping in the wind and held one windshield wiper from dangling ineffectively.
An amazing element of the trip is that Barb and I were not sick one day. No colds, no flu, no digestion problems or infections this year. Fire ant bites and no seeums caused some discomfort, but our health was better than the norm. Perhaps it was the fresh air, perhaps it was the thrill of discovery, or perhaps it was, as we have felt the entire trip, that we were undeniably blessed.
Since early January, except for the one hotel night in Mississippi, our bedroom has been in the Seabreeze. Tonight we sleep in our home. But tomorrow, as I awake, I will walk out to check that she is well, I will pause and pat her on the side on my way to pick up the paper, and I will thank her again for a memorable experience of discovery. And I will reassure her that more adventures lie ahead.
“The longest journey is the journey inwards, of him who has chosen his destiny, who has started upon his quest for the source of his being.” Dag Hammarskjöld
THE END
3 comments:
It's been such a pleasure following your adventures around the country through your descriptive keyboarding skills. Thanks so much.
Keyboarding is the easy part...have fun remembering what day the garbage goes out and how to divide up recycling. lol Glad it was safe.
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Congratulations on a full circle trip of a lifetime! Your journaling has enriched our lives and has provided us much as we tagged along with you across America. Thank you for sharing--and you expressed it so well!
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