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Published: October 31st 2011
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Day 33
Northern California
Although we have been home for almost a month, when we took the pictures for this last blog it was actually the last night of John's vacation. I had convinced him to take a week after we came home--the longest vacation he has ever taken-- because, honey, jet lag does not get easier as one gets older.
On this morning, Sunday, I woke up late. I was already feeling a tad bit guilty when I wandered into the kitchen mid-morning in yoga clothes. John is sitting at the kitchen table with a big grin…”Why are you wearing an apron?” Then my nose detects…beans, tomatoes, sausages, bacon? Is it…? Is it?... Yes! My darling husband is creating a Full Irish/English/Maine (beans included) breakfast for our last morning of vacation together…
During breakfast we play our favorite après-vacation game: what was the best moment; bed and breakfast; quote; story; it goes on and on.
By dinner time it is really, really apparent that we will be returning to our usual schedule: John in San Francisco most of the week and me here at home with the cats. It causes us to reflect on all that
we have.
We are very, very fortunate to be able to travel
We are fortunate to know enough of our family history- paper or DNA—to follow these family roots in our travels
We have our health which makes these trips possible
We have each other—which is a lot of fun and comfort in and of itself
We have children for whom we hope to leave a written legacy
We are curious and we are not afraid to follow our curiosity
We have friends and family who will read these blogs-or not- and marvel….we do not chose to think if it will be negative or positive marveling ...
We live in a country where, despite body scans, security checks, or pat downs, we can still travel to distant countries and return…..this is becoming an increasingly rare luxury.
We return to a small and comfortable home on lovely country acreage, with wildlife, a garden, and three cats who keep a schedule for us…like it or not.
We have friends and relations in other countries who have given their time and hospitality to show us their homelands--and ours.
We have changed
Our Front Yard
Our Beautiful Tulip Tree because travel inherently changes you, and we believe it has been for the good.
We are even more convinced at the end of this trip that we are not, really not, ready to settle down into recliner chairs and wait for the inevitable.
And mostly, as we said as we travelled “I hope that we arrive home broke, exhausted, and dirty.” I think we succeeded….
If it is true that home is where the heart is, then we now have our hearts in many places: We have our family homes, we have our generational homes- Michigan for John and Illinois for me-and now we have our hearts in parts of our ancestral homes-the Derbyshire in England and Kilkenny and Tipperary in Ireland. Now, perhaps we can track down where our Neolithic ancestors were.....
Thank you for being our travelling companions. Even though we do not speak to you on a daily basis, one of my DNA cousins wrote to tell me that he hadn’t written because he felt as if he was chatting with us every day through the blog. I hope that you all have felt this way: that you were chatting with us
A View Into Our Garden
Grapes overhead, apples to the left, pears to the right and vegetables staright ahead. as well and enjoying our travels together, and let's hope that someday that we may all travel together…..
Love
Cheers!
And
Slainte!
Max and John
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Val
non-member comment
How FUN!!!
I can officially say I'm all caught up with all your wonderful blogs. A piece of me feels as though I was there with you, with your details to historical sites and delicious dinings. Thank you for the history, fun and food! One day TC and I will travel in the same direction, and I feel like we'll have a head start with your travel fun, trials, and mishaps that turned into wonderful surprises. It's not just about getting there; it's about enjoying every moment of that road that's going to get you there, whether it's the right one or not. Thank you for that life lesson Max & John. Life is too short to worry about wrong turns. Unless of course you're running late to the airport :)) Peace to you both, Val