Now, I guess that's not quite fair, showing up on here and saying "Ho, I'm leaving!" when I never even said that I was going anywhere to begin with. So I'll recap:
A week ago, at an hour that should never be beheld by man's waking eye, I left my island in the Gulf for the Great White North. It was 62 degrees when we left. 43 hours later, after 22 hours of driving, a 5.5 hour train ride, and a break for sleepy time in Iowa, I arrived in my hometown. It was 17 degrees.
Gross.
Good thing I packed all those sweaters.
And tights.
Although I ruined one pair of tights exiting the train with my usual grace and glory. I handed my suitcase to the porter, but, still straddled with my computer bag and a small duffel, I then missed one step with my foot and hit another with my knee.
It doesn't look so bad now, but hat's after a week of healing. You should have seen it the day of.
In any case, what better way to say "Welcome to Michigan!" is there than by falling off a train?
Given that I *technically* arrived on Christmas Eve (it was 12:15am, Eastern time), my first three days of this visit were chock full of activities and adventures. There was Christmas shopping to be finished, gifts to wrap, parties to attend, Christmas dinner to cook, family time to be had, and a wedding to witness.
The wedding was my grandfather's.
Please note, for those of you who have not experienced it before, attending the wedding of your grandfather, to a woman you've known for a significant portion of your life, is just plain weird.
I'm happy that he's happy, I really am. But suddenly being one of 25 "cousins," one of whom I was friends with in high school, and having nearly the same number of "aunts" and "uncles" is rather odd. The happy couple hosted a family open house on Christmas Eve, and I met all sorts of new folks that I'm now step-related to. I don't remember most of them. Given that I'll see them no more than once a year, I think I'm off the hook on knowing names.
It was a difficult few days, with the meet-and-greet, holiday celebrations, and nuptials. It's been more than two years since my grandmother passed away, but I still miss her immensely. Nancy will never take her place, and never fill the void she left behind. I felt the loss most acutely while I was cooking Christmas dinner.
We've always had Christmas at our house, and it usually was my mom cooking, with my grandma sitting at the table and helping whenever possible, and me floating around to be intermittently helpful and goofy.
Last year I started cooking, with my mom assisting, and my grandmother's stool sits empty. I was so tired from traveling this year, and so upset by all the changes in my family that I broke down crying over the stove.
Perhaps a few tears sweeten the broth, because the dinner turned out well, and the rest of the day was pleasant enough.
And finally on Saturday night, after the wedding and "after-party" were over, I kicked off my heels, left the hard parts of the week behind me, and began to truly enjoy my relaxing Northern vacation.
Despite having no kids at home (or even in-state), my parents bought a Wii. For reals. They got it for the WiiFit program specifically, but they're pretty much the coolest parents on the block, a status somehwhat lost on the fact that I don't live up here anymore to brag.
Thank goodness for blogs -- are YOUR parents as cool as mine?
So I've been honing my tennis/baseball/bowling/golf/balance/yoga skills fairly frequently over the last few days.
And cleaning out the closet in my old bedroom (and finding more and more things I really want to take back to Texas).
And watching movies.
And cuddling with my kitty.
Doesn't she look ecstatic?
This afternoon I'm going sledding with some kids I've known since their birth...which was not that early in my own life.
Wow, I feel old.
But I'm really excited.
And early tomorrow morning I leave again, bound for Chicago to meet Maggie and Murphy, then South we go, back to our warm, sunny island.
And back to my puppy.
I'm ready. I guess you know you're an adult when the charms of your hometown are all worn out after just a few days, and home -- however far away it may be -- begins to call.
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