Reflection

Ahh to be home again! We had a very long day at Logan International airport, just trying to get home. Wild weather throughout the south and mid-west caused hundreds of flight delays and even cancellations. I am used to spending endless hours stuck in airports, but I know that was a difficult day for Mom.  We were at the airport from sun up to sun down!

When we finally did land in SLC, I was greeted by the love of my life and I instantly felt protected and safe. Oh how I missed him! He hugged me so tightly on the curb of the drop off zone and I didn't even mind that his Delta jacket was covered in drywall dust. I was THAT happy to see him! My hubby told me that missing me was "painful" to him, and to his credit, he has been extremely affectionate and attentive since my return. I could get used to this! We talked about how we enjoyed our trips but how we don't feel 100% like ourselves when we are apart. There were so many discoveries we each wanted to share with one another but couldn't. And don't even get me started on the long nights without having his warmth next to me. He is my comfort, my support and my love. I am so happy to be back where I belong. 

Hubby saved our aching backs by hoisting the uber heavy, souvenir-laden suitcases into the Durango and we were headed home! We chatted all the way about our adventures in New England and his adventures in California. It still cracks me up that we were on opposite sides of the country. It was a great experience, but I never want to be that far away from him again!

We drove Mom home and got her things into the house. After saying a quick hello to Missy (my favorite sis) and Dad, we were headed toward our own tribe at last. I walked in the door and was instantly greeted by comfortable familiarity. Madi was working on her Sterling Scholar application, Linzie came bounding up the stairs with sleepy eyes and a huge welcoming smile, Emily drifted down the stairs looking beautiful with her hair wrapped up in a towel turban, and before long even Carley and Abby were pulled from their toasty beds to say hello. I felt bad because it was past 11:30PM on a school night, but I selfishly lapped up the hugs, kisses and "Welcome Home, Mom" greetings that were lavished upon me. My tribe... my heart.  My sweet girls and my loving husband will always be my touchstones. A house is just a structure but my family is my home.

Because of my recent visit to Louisa May Alcott's house in Massachusetts, I have had some fun conversations with my family about Little Women. I have said for years that my girls are my Little Women. I feel so lucky that I get to be part of this great group of girls! Each of my girls possess traits of the Little Women characters. Madi is like Jo, Linz is like Meg and Beth, Emily is like Jo and Amy, Carley is like Amy and Meg, and Abby is somewhere between Jo and Beth - Louisa May Alcott would have had a great time inventing a character like my Abby! My girls are constantly making me laugh, teaching me about life and love, and making me think. I always felt that it quit being about me when I had my children.. I thought it would be all about them for as long as they were mine to love... but now I see that there's a subtle lesson flowing through them, to me.. the gift of learning all those things make life polished.  My girls have taught me patience and understanding, how to let go of the petty things that hold people back, they have shown me the difference between wants vs. needs, and above all else, they have taught me that love only grows when you give it away freely.  I would give anything for my girls!

My trip to New England was Ahhh-mazing! I felt so connected to the history and my ancestry there that it was almost like being home. Almost. I think if I could take my darling hubby and my sweet girls with me then I could easily live in New England forever. Aunt Dottie is also a big reason I wish I lived in Massachusetts. She is so full of love and life that just being around her is uplifting. I love her laugh and her genuine spirit. I never did get to play Scrabble with her, but I could have listened to her stories forever and never grow tired of hearing her memories. She taught me so much about life in general...when I grow up, I want to be just like her!

 I'd love nothing more than to daydream about my New England adventures, but I'm back in the real world and there's a grindstone here with my name on it.  However, come 4PM I will be racing back to the family that I adore.. I'm sure I haven't given them enough hugs and kisses yet!

Boston- Day 6

My heart is so heavy tonight. Mom and I had a wonderful day with Aunt Dottie today. I had been hoping to have a day to do nothing but visit and listen to Dottie's memories, and today did not disappoint. Mom and I didn't want the day to end!

For lunch Aunt Dottie set a beautiful table, complete with a delicate pink table cloth, exquisite blue and white plates, silverware, folded napkins and condiments set out in dishes. We dined on bread, cheese, tomatoes and grapes, local cider, and we finished with the zucchini bread we had brought from Walker's farms. It was an absolutely perfect afternoon and I was so grateful to have had the opportunity to be part of it.

Aunt Dottie, you are beautiful, graceful, kind, generous, and oh so loving! I will take the echo of your beautiful laugh home with me, and carry you in my heart every day! Thank you for giving your time so freely, putting up with Mom and I driving all over the country, and for being so delightful no matter what!

I plan to write a summary of this wondrous trip once I'm home, but for now I need to swallow the lump in my throat, finish packing (even though I don't want to leave) and reflect on how fortunate I am to have had this experience.

Boston - Day 5

It is misleading to title these entries "Boston" anything.. we haven't even been to Boston! But for continuity's sake, I will continue with the title thread.

Today we woke up to Vermont hills shrouded in mist. We walked outside and I could feel the water on my face but it wasn't rain. The mist muffled sounds and made everything mysterious and beautiful! I couldn't help but think of Grandma while we were at breakfast this morning... last time I was in a similar setting with her, she was tucking jam packets into her purse for later.  Oh how I miss her! I am so lucky to have Aunt Dottie. She is so wonderful and reminds me of Grandma as well.

Our first stop this morning was to Walker farms where I went a little nuts with the photography. Seriously, the fresh produce, colorful fall mums and misty morning made for a perfect setting and I snapped picture after picture! As amazing as it looked, this little place has wonderful fruit and cheese (which Mom is generously sharing as I write this) and baked goods too. We had fun picking out a few things for each of us to take with us and I managed to be sneaky and pick up the tab for once. (You wouldn't believe how stubborn these two are when it comes to who pays for what!) This little produce stand is significant because Grandma loved it so much. I cannot convey the feeling of gratitude after visiting the  very same place she did.

 I had mentioned doing some reading about the covered bridges of Vermont so Dottie set out to show me one. I was in awe of this beautiful bridge! I learned that the purpose of building covered bridges was that a covered bridge protected the trusses so that the bridge would last about three times as long as a bridge that was not covered. I stood in the middle of the road to get some pictures, and I admit that I was a little sad when we drove away.

We continued our trek up to Newfane where we visited Mom's favorite store. I wish I could have afforded a quilt in that store, but the least expensive one was $750! We had so much fun browsing and picking up a few little things. Once again I found myself snapping picture after picture, desperate to capture this special time with Aunt Dottie. I simply cannot convey how wonderful she is. I wish I lived closer to her so that I could see her all the time.

Because of the weather, we kept driving and ended up in Historic Deerfield. OH. MY. GOODNESS! I could not believe those old buildings were still standing! I regret not buying the book that told of the French and the Indians that invaded the town and took so many prisoners.. I hope I can find something online because now that I've been there, I would really love to read all about it.

We decided to have lunch at the Yankee Candle Flagship Store which was nearby. I was amazed at how big the place was! There was no shortage of splendor and lunch was amazing! Everything from the ambiance, the company and the food was perfect. I am so fortunate to be here, spending time with Mom and Dottie. It is so much more than locations and shopping. I have heard their stories and learned so much about Dottie. I adore her!

 As we drove, I would listen to Dottie tell us about the history of specific houses we would pass and I am in awe of the detail she remembers. She has a wonderful way of talking with her hands, just like Grandma used to, and today she said, "Oh, yes!" exactly the way Grandma would... I teared up because it was like Grandma was right there with us.  Don't get me wrong, I love Dottie for who she is.. but being Cherie's sister is a big part of who she is and I found myself imagining Grandma there with us on the trip. How will I be able to leave her the day after tomorrow? I'm already grieving over the hole it will leave in my heart. She is part of me and I wish I could have her nearby always.

Mom and Dottie, thank you for the gift this trip has been. I will cherish it all my life.

Boston - Day 4

Today was definitely a road trip day.  We got up early, packed up our hotel room -no easy task considering the amount of New England treasures we have acquired- then we headed over to pick up Aunt Dottie. Today we planned on driving up to Vermont to visit Joanie and some family graves.


I get a kick out of listening to Mom and Dottie talk to each other. In fact, I love the flurry of half-finished sentences from each of these cute little ladies as they converse. It is as if they are so excited to share their thoughts that they simply do not have enough time to get it all out.  But they are adorable and I have heard so many fascinating tales.

One of the best stories I heard today was when Mom was telling about when she was little and Grandma would be driving them around. Mom said Grandma would "punch the gas" when they went on roads with little hills and as they were all squealing, Grandma would say, "We just went over a Filly Loo!" Several times today, Mom and Dottie said, "Filly Loo!" in their best child-like voices as we went over country hills. It was magical.  (That and their adorable rendition of "I'm a Little Tea Pot. Seriously, when was the last time YOU heard two cute little ladies singing that song on a road trip?)

The colors of the trees we saw today were simply amazing. It felt as if we had been dropped into the middle of an artist's palette. Reds, yellows, oranges and even some green...the hills were so beautiful! It started to rain as we continued down the road, but it never lasted long and it only made the colors that much brighter!

After lunch we visited some old family graves nearby. There was a feeling of responsibility as I looked at those headstones. I know I need to learn this history and teach it to my children. There are so many wonderful stories to be heard and retold. I am always grateful for the rich heritage we have.

We stopped for a short visit with cousin Joanie. Whose cousin? I don't really know. Mom's? Dottie's? Probably Dottie's. Joanie is not in good health, yet she greeted us sweetly and kept up conversation with Mom and Dottie. I enjoyed being so close to another branch of our family tree. I could see it was difficult for Mom and Dottie to leave and I wished I knew what to say or do to make it easier for them. This is the difficult phase of life... saying goodbye to those we love. I know my family has seen too much of that recently and we wish we knew how to stop those wheels of time. The best we can do is appreciate what we have right here, right now. I will do my best.

There were so many new sights today, including rainbow colored leaves, ancient white churches, New England sheep, and spooky houses, but I think my favorite was seeing the maple trees that were tapped for harvesting of the sap. Vermont maple syrup is famous and of course I will be bringing several bottles home for the girlies to sample on their pancakes!

I talked to all of my girls tonight. I am not used to this ache in my heart caused by missing them. I am so proud of each one of them and I appreciate how hard they have worked while I have been away. They are my heart and soul!

Boston - Day 3

My goodness, what a day!  After some wonderful time spent in conversation at Aunt Dottie's house, we decided it was time to begin our road trip adventure for the day. We traveled to Duxbury to see John Alden's house. (We are direct descendants so this was high on our bucket list!) Mom, Dottie and I were so excited when we arrived but the parking area seemed deserted. Undeterred, we wandered around the grounds and took some great photos of the exterior.

After a few minutes, a woman carrying a cake approached the house and told us it was "closed for the season" but there was a Haunted House scheduled there later in the evening if we wanted to return. But we had The Power Of Linda on our side and she quickly explained that we are descendants and asked if there was any way we could just "take a peek" inside. She even gave the woman Dottie's first and middle name as if it would be our magic passport (Dorothy Alden) and it worked! The woman said she thought it would be okay if we didn't mind going through without a tour guide. We assured her we would love any opportunity to walk through this historical house.

She wasn't kidding about the Haunted House festivities. It looked to me like Halloween vomited on everything inside! I had to try to look past the ghoulish decorations to see the beauty of the house beneath. I looked overhead (Which wasn't hard to do because the ceilings were very low!) and saw the rough cut beams holding up the house, while any wooden beams within reach had been worn smooth by centuries of hands running across them.  The floors creaked satisfyingly as we slowly walked from room to room,n trying to take in every detail. There was a sign in the entryway that said "NO Pictures" ... so naturally I went into stealth mode to take pictures without being seen or heard.  (I think my ancestor, John Alden would have approved.. and we spent a lot of money on our way out so I feel ok about taking some pictures to share with my daughters.) Mom and Dottie were my partners in crime and I grinned each time they purposely distracted our guide so she would not hear the click of my camera. But when our guide smiled so sweetly at me, I knew she didn't mind the few pictures I captured for my girls and I was just so grateful to be there!

 

I could not believe I was standing in John Alden's house. I was in awe as I looked at the functional, yet beautiful fireplace and reminded myself that in that kitchen my ancestors carried out their daily activities. It was such an honor to be there! 

Alicia was the woman who graciously let us into this historical home, walked us through the rooms, and rang up our purchases. It was because of her kindness that we were able to experience something that we had only read about before. We picked up information on how to register as Alden descendents when we get home. I love having this link to history!
(Please check out the Alden House website with truly amazing photos minus the Halloween Decor.)

Still buzzing with excitement over our visit to Alden House, we then headed off to Plymouth where we planned to meet cousin John for dinner later that evening. The scenery was so colorful and amazing but very difficult to photograph from a moving car. So you will just have to trust me when I tell you that I saw a cranberry bog and more gorgeous colonial houses than I could count! We even saw an old Model T.

I've been to many ocean-side towns, but there's something distinctly different about a New England ocean-side town. Quaint is the best word to describe it. There are a lot of tourists, but it doesn't feel like a tourist trap.. (well, maybe the "Plymouth Rock" did... I just don't believe that tiny thing is the actual rock the pilgrims landed on...could we shoot for something more like a rocky shore maybe?) Mom, Dottie and I once again got out to wander around and take some pictures to show the girlies back home.

 We enjoyed looking at The Mayflower II and browsing the gift shop, but we were starting to feel a bit tired because it had been such a long day.  We eventually met up with Dottie's son, John and his girlfriend for dinner at a lovely restaurant that had amazing views of the harbor. We enjoyed each other's company and conversation as the moon came up over the harbor. It was all so perfect.

I love these people! I've said it before and I'll say it again... John is just like my big brother, Roger. I feel so at home around him and his kindness is beyond measure. I was walking along the street and he came up next to me and said he would feel better if he walked along the outside of our group so that if anyone got hit, it would be him and not us. (Although I am glad no one was hit, of course) John opened doors and pulled out Mom's chair for her as well. I am always so impressed by his uncommon kindness.

Mom and Dottie chatted all the way back to Dottie's place while I talked with my girls through text messages. I'm really missing my tribe tonight. It's been a very long time since I've gone so long without their hugs and tender air kisses.

Time to get some sleep... Vermont tomorrow! (Somewhere in California is my cute guy.. he's visiting his Mom for the weekend. If you see him, poke him in the eye and tell him to call his wife who misses him terribly!)