one place to another

The weekend was marvelous. Fine weather, nice scenery, excellent company, and no mice running across my face as per Seren's experience. And one of the nicest things in that each day, after lunch, most people napped. Why? Because we could, and wanted to. I didn't but instead enjoyed some solitude on a swinging chair overlooking the lake and the mountains covered in trees rich in fall colour.

I sat there, thinking and decided that to have no more pressing decision than: should I read, or nap? is loveliness itself. Then a big decision arose: should I walk back up to the cottage and make a cup of tea? Sometimes one needs to make these momentous choices.

Sunday was a blur of activity, but we did get the luggage switched and were on the road again to Goaliemom's place, then yesterday we left early and drove literally all day. We passed through Michigan, Illinois, Indiana (aka land of the toll booths), Wisconsin, and finally into Minnesota. It was mostly great weather for driving but at about 9pm you started to get the feeling that you had always been in a car that you would always be. The little girls fared well through the day and the big girls (us) had lots of time to talk, to be quiet, and to listen to music. The bonus at the end of the day was having Bean come by the hotel to visit. The girls had so been looking forward to seeing their cousin.

So here we are. Not nearly so relaxed and quiet as the cottage, but nice in its own way: three days of nothing planned but fun. The biggest decisions here will be where to go, what to eat. Mall of America and a little town called Stillwater, plus a visit to Bean's college will be in the mix. We'll likely take in one of his hockey games as well.

Tomorrow will be odd. Four years. Time marches on but in many ways I do not. I have gone from one place to another in the past few days, many miles and many sights. I wonder, have I gone from one place to another personally since he left us? All roads, it seems, lead back to Rome.