Farewell...and Hello Again

It's been too long. Too long since I posted anything for you. And too long since I posted anything for us. It's not that we haven't been busy. In fact we have been nearly too busy. But busy with family matters and family business - the type of things that are very important and must be accomplished, but not really the kind of thing you share, at least on the surface. Not matters of adventure. Not matters of the heart and soul. Rather - matters of fact. And while I thought about writing nearly every day, there never seemed to be enough time or enough will to get it done. And so it didn't---get done, that is.

Tonight I'm writing just really to say we are back in travel mode. The big tire version of the road trip has resumed and we find ourselves in Chantilly, Virginia to take in the three day Log and Timber Home Expo. And yes we know that neither of those terra firma type homes have wheels, and, no, we're not hanging it up at this point- not to worry, those of you who travel with us in spirit and via the blog. The weather is pleasant here- 60's and 70's daytime and 40's night time. The summer of this year's cycle left us in its dust, true, but the cool of the Fall has us revving up in search of shelter from the coming winter storms.

We had more than our share of death to contend with for one year to be sure. Please, God, no more! But we've also had more than our share of love and support for getting through it, and so we have. So when Marilyn's Uncle Vinnie passed away up on Cape Cod before we left the Reading, Pennsylvania area, we put the departure plans on hold a moment and took the van up to the Cape for several days to pay our respects. Those of you who have "traveled" with us for a long time will no doubt recall the many references to our Cosmic Cousin Companions, with whom we have shared many a wonderful adventure on the road. They are family. They are important to us. Two of the "cosmics," as we call them, are the children of Uncle Vin and we feel very blessed to have been within driving range of being able to make the services in order to support them in whatever small way we could. And beautiful services they were. A graveside military honor with live fire and taps is a very moving experience. A seaside procession and memorial mass at East Falmouth on a faultless day weather-wise seemed most serene considering why we all needed to be there. For me, it was a bit surreal to see another family going through what mine has just been through. But like all our experiences in life, we bundle what we see and think and feel and reflect upon into the fabric of our being, and Yes, Virgina, we are made stronger, in due time, by all the things that don't "kill us" as the old adage goes.....

Before returning from the Cape, and after all the services had concluded, Marilyn and I took our final evening there to drive back out to the coast for sunset. The sunset marks the end of only one day, but at times it certainly seems to be a metaphor for an episode of our lives. Hopefully, this can be just such an episode fading into the sunset. Farewell to my dad. Farewell to Abby. Farewell to Uncle Vin. Hello- open road!