Fond feelings of home

I like going away on trips.  I LOVE coming home.  It was a grueling day yesterday, getting here.  We drove through wild thunder, lightning and rainstorms near Houston to get to the airport, and for a while, it looked like flights would be backed up because of the storms.

The sun came out, though, and so did the planes.  We did sit on the tarmac for a few minutes, waiting for the flights in the long line ahead of us to take off, but we arrived in Salt Lake City early.  The ascent out of there, though, made me wonder for a few minutes if I was in Silverwood,  riding the roller coaster.

The turbulence settled down after about ten minutes, and our last leg of the day's traveling (the day started at 4:15 a.m. PST) went well.  We collapsed into bed just before midnight.  

Of course, returning home gives even a tired traveler a bit more zest, so I was out of bed by 5:15 and watering gardens by 6.  My first trip around the place tells me that things sure did grow during the last six days.  One of the gardens looks like a jungle.  My lovely lettuce out in the north planter grew a lot and definitely attracted Mama Deer.  She was nice enough to keep it mowed.

As long as she leaves enough for our summer salads, I won't complain.  Blueberries are big and ripe as are raspberries.  Broccoli needs to be cut.  Love it!

I loved the experience in the South, every minute of it.  In fact, I can't remember a trip that went so smoothly each day.  Nobody got mad.  The flights were great.  Our accommodations were perfect.

All family and business goals for the trip were met.  People did exactly what they wanted to do, and all the food, right down to my DICKS whammy and chocolate shake last night, was splendid.  The memories are and will remain priceless AND yes, Mastercard did its part too.

My only complaint----too much sitting.  But when you're driving, flying or visiting, you have no recourse but to sit.  And, when the humidity matches the temperature, you don't take a lot of brisk strolls.  That will come today as I scurry around with watering and harvesting and catching up with family around here.

There's a pack of Lime Bud Light on the kitchen island, and some notes from Willie and Debbie, i.e., "Willie didn't get the lawn around the shop mowed (smiley face)"  and "Debbie didn't get the berries picked (smiley face)" and "Welcome home; we missed you (smiley face)."

I like the last one the best, and maybe tonight we'll all sit on the deck, enjoying an ice-cold lime Bud Light, catching up on the past few days.  In the meantime, Annie will be attending a Sounders soccer game and then climbing aboard a red-eye flight to Washington, D.C.,  to attend the National Boy Scout Jamboree on behalf of Groundspeak.

Never a dull moment in this family, it seems AND we love it.  Glad to be back, and to all those lovely folks we met along our travels, thank you for your gracious hospitality and for your friendship.  We love that too!

Off to pick berries and mow around the shop!  (Smiley face)