Sunday, March 10, 2024

Home Away from Home

A quick note before I pack up the car and head back across the mountains, back down to my part of the Appalachian chain.  I got away for a few days to see my mom, dad, and sister.  We met up in Charlottesville, a town where once we lived as a nuclear family.  Actually, we lived here twice, and we've all continued to circle back to Charlottesville occasionally.

We rented a small AirBnB house not too far from the house we rented when we first moved here so that my dad could do an MPA degree at the University of Virginia.  We've had fun exploring wineries and breweries and driving around this town that has changed so much.

It's been great to have a house for a few days, instead of hotel rooms.  It's wonderful to be able to cook meals and to spread out.  I've gotten a lot of work for classes done--one of the wonders of technology, and of traveling by car, which means I could bring a laptop and lots of books.  I am grateful that my sister and I both have spouses who were willing to see to the responsibilities of homes we left behind for a few days.

I'll state the obvious:  we are all growing older, and it's wonderful to still be able to do this, to get away for a few days, to enjoy being together.  It's a gift, and I'm grateful that I realize what a gift it is while I still have it.

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