Ramblings
My next oldest sister, Debby, and I made a road trip weekend before last, and it was fun!
There’s four of us girls, and the first three of us are each 27 months apart, then Jenny comes along seven years later. So, Debby and I are the middle two, and somehow we just jive.
So last Friday, the two of us headed north. Our first stop was Charlotte, N.C. (not really our first stop, but our first long stop.) We visited Audrey McCray, who was our next-door neighbor when we lived in Charlotte, some 50+ years ago.
Well Debby was closer to Audrey than me, as Debby was nearly 10 when we left Charlotte. And, when Mama was alive she stayed in touch with Audrey, and Debby has continued to. Debby admits she gets busy, and it may be months between conversations, but they pick up where they left off.
We did this trip a couple years ago, and Audrey is two years older now…but still self-sufficient. Audrey is 92 years old (30 years older than me), and spry as a spring chicken. She cooked us dinner Friday night, and then breakfast on Saturday morning. She had fresh sheets on the beds for us, and I am sure will wash them for the next guest, although guests are infrequent she tells us. She cleans her own house, although she did let on she hired some house cleaners once. “All they did was mess up the furniture, running the vacuum into it.”
So, we had a delightful visit, and then late Saturday morning, headed north. Next stop, Roanoke, Virginia. There we visited our dad’s only brother, Dick and his lovely wife, Juanita. Juanita has always been a great hostess, and this time was no different. She had her sons over, and the whole family gathered for a great meal and some pleasant conversation.
The last time we saw Dick and Juanita was at Hannah’s wedding and the time before that was Emily’s wedding. So, we’re averaging once a year. Any way, it’s always nice to keep family close, and this trip was part of that.
After spending the night there, in their wonderful accommodations, we headed back south. This time we stopped in Christiansburg, Va. where we visited with my late mother’s aunt, Bernice Phillips. Bern is my grandmother’s sister, and they were years apart. Grandmother was the oldest, Bernice the youngest.
So by the time Bernice came along, my grandmother was close to having children. My mama and Bernice were only six months apart in age, so when they were young, they played together often like sisters. It’s wonderful to hear her tell stories about Mama when she was growing up. Cancer got Mama nearly 30 years ago, so any re-connection is appreciated.
After a short visit with Bernice, it was time to head home. After all, I had to be at work Monday morning. Debby is retired. But she needed to get home to spend a little time there before her next adventure. Debby loves to go. She goes with friends, she goes with her husband, she goes with the whole family. As for when we go, Debby does the driving on these trips…she loves to drive and I don’t really. Jimmy drives when the two of us go.
So, as we headed home Sunday, what should we encounter but a terrible rainstorm that was right in our path. We went through steady rain, driving rain, stop and start rain…it was pretty miserable. But we made it back, and we have fond memories. It’s good to visit people
When I headed to the recycling bin last week, I thought it was time to clean the water bottles out of the back floorboard. I counted them…13 water bottles. No wonder they kept trying to fall out the door every time I opened it.
Who knows when our next adventure will be. Probably another two years, then the same route. Luckily Hannah wants to go too, so we plan a trip north later this spring just to visit relatives. We won’t stop and see Audrey, although she would welcome us and Hannah would enjoy her. But we’ll go spend more time with my 87-year-old great aunt who will be delighted so have us, and we will visit with some second cousins I have up there. And, we’ll go see Dick and Juanita and their sons.
With both my parents long gone, it’s nice to have a connection to them through family.