Home Again

So now that I'm finally home I need to wrap up this "highway" and start thinking about new ones to travel on from here in Peacham.  This was such an unforgettable experience in so many ways, that a few words on the page seem insufficient.  But I'll try - first with our last two days on the road...

Saturday morning we left Charleston and headed to John and Kathy's home in Silver Spring, Maryland (my brother and his wife).  They planned to pick up my father from his apartment there too, so we could share dinner together at their house.

But first, we had to finally get that ice cream lunch - and this time we were highly successful!  We were still in West Virginia when Abby the Tour Guide found us this wonderful tiny spot for lunch - had to post the menu because it was amazing!  I had the funnel cake sundae and Abby had a banana split  - just like her Grandmother Taber would do:)  We considered the Hillbilly Mess or the Special Mess, but we were satisfied with our choices. 

 So we had a lovely evening in Silver Spring visiting with my father and John and Kathy.  Dad was in good spirits and had been keeping up with our travels thanks to J & K printing out my blog for him to read. And since he was one of my main inspirations for taking this trek at this point in my life, I'm glad he has been able to share the fun.  For those of you who don't know, it was at this similar point in his life when he and my mother decided to leave everything they knew back in Pennsylvania for a brand new life, new job, new friends, and very new environment in sunny New Mexico - they loved it and never looked back!  Thanks for helping me get out of my "comfort zone" Dad!

Sunday morning we took off fairly early (well, as early as you can after sharing wine and conversation on a lovely summer evening with our two generous hosts) and headed back to Stow.  Definitely one of the high traffic drives of the trip  - Washington Beltway, New Jersey Turnpike, Garden State Parkway, Tappan Zee Bridge, Mass Pike -  but we were ready to head home and as long as Abby was the one driving in Massachusetts I just shut my eyes a lot and listened to Inspector Gamache....  

And yay!  Tom and Athena welcomed us back (Narcissus and Echo asked for dinner) and we gladly watched silly TV, drank cosmos, and Tom tried out his Kentucky Bourbon.  I went to bed early and boogied my way home the next morning.

So now I am back home in our beautiful, green, quiet place in the world.   I'm so happy to be home, and feel so fortunate to have been able to make this trip.  So much wonderful time with family, safe travels, and a feeling of awe for the people I met and places I saw along the way.  It reinforced for me the common struggles and joys we all share - and how important it is for us all to continue to share and connect with each other.

 Like I said before, I'm not going to be able to put this into words - I'll have to spend some time finding a quote or two that says it better.  For now I'm grateful knowing that Highway 55 carried me along this summer with laughter, love, a few tears, and lots of fun.