Monday Musings

Do you ever have that feeling after you return home?  The plants look bigger.  The garden looks unruly.  The neighbors made some change to their house.  And even when you walk in the door of your own home, it looks just, well, somehow different.  It smells different.  It all seems just somehow a bit strange.

Well with the exception of the plants and the unruly garden, it is almost always me that has changed.  Not the surroundings.  I really hope that is true this trip.

In dairyland, there's a term they use around here for people from Illinois.  They call them 'flatlanders'.  It is simply because of topography.  We have many rolling hills and ridges and whatnot here.  Down there they have beautiful flat areas to grow amazing corn and soybeans and who knows what.  However, most people driving down I-80 the latter part of last week didn't see something.  They didn't see a mountain.  

I'm so thankful I did.  You see where I was there are those that are wonderful mountain climbers.  They go on ahead and spend lots of time and thought before we even get there.  They show us paths.  They provide rest stops.  They even tell us what tools to use.  And with their help we begin the climb.  They encourage us to learn how to do it ourselves.  And then in those days we are together they help us get to the top.  Oh the view!  There are things we never saw before.  We learn things about ourselves we never knew before.  And we see fertile fields of fruit.  And paths of usefulness.  To be in their presence and to see the view is something you cannot explain with words.  It only can be felt.  I think this year the view was better and grander than ever before.  

Maybe as I get older each year, there will be more and more young people.  But this year there were just amazing amounts of young people between birth to out of college.  I would say nearly half the crowd and I don't think I'm exaggerating.

It was an extra-special bonus to be there with all of my slightly-older sister's family.  They are jewels.  All of them. 

cooking burgers with cousin on Wed. night

one time many of us were together.

Daughter #2 and I slept in a wee, tiny, little tent.  It was small too in case you didn't get my drift.  It held two cots, two duffle bags.  And we could just slip in and out of this eensy-weensy tent.  Did I mention it was small and almost claustrophobic?  It is always interesting needing to get dressed up in your Sunday best while lying on a very narrow cot.  If you saw me and thought I looked a bit frumpy, well there's my excuse.  Since the Chairman couldn't join us for the first days, we would visit nightly.  One night we got crazy and even sent him a picture in the dark. It is apparent I have scowl lines.  

I met many blog readers at this place.  It is slightly strange feeling.  I feel like they know me and what I love much more than I know them.  And I am again amazed that our mundane Monday Musings are worth clicking the mouse on.  But a shout-out to you - glad I met some of you in person!

So now back to life again.  There are appointments all week for school registrations and a volleyball camp and car dent repair and if I'm feeling ambitious, with the sweet corn people.  I need to freeze some sweetness for the long winter ahead.  

Someone missed me more than I missed him.  I call him Mr.  Bojangles and Toddy-toddy- and Snookums and even by his given name Simba if he's in trouble.

Now off to climb another mountain.  This one isn't so beautiful.  This one is full of colors and wrinkles and an occasional whiff of perspiration.  I think it is called Mount. P. U.