So last fall Jon's company transferred him to Arkansas. He's been coming home about a weekend a month since then except for December when he took a 2 week vacation.

The first thing Jon did when I called to tell him I quit my job was buy me a plane ticket to Hot Springs. So two weeks after that, I was on a little vacation.


It just so happened that the day I flew out of PA, was on the biggest snow storm we had all year. Eight to ten inches. I was worried that I would miss my flight. Of course nothing had really been plowed between my house and the airport which is about 20 miles. I put it into 4 wheel drive and carefully passed everyone on the freeway. I followed tracks of a semi truck who paved the way. I made it in half an hour.

It never fails that I get the full pat down when I go through security, every. time.
So I stood there while the agent kept saying, "I'm using the back of my hand" when she felt my backside, sides of the breast. I was thankful for the warning.

It took an hour to de-ice the plane which was fine by me. I was sitting in between 2 gentleman; one a Delta pilot and the other a father of 5 from Nebraska. They were both nice and we chatted the whole time. I made the pilot laugh when we were talking about roller coasters and he said he preferred to stay on the ground. I replied, "Said the Delta pilot." which made him slap his knee at the irony. Coincidentally enough, each of us stopped at Subway before the flight so we ate lunch together in our row, kinda fun.

Takeoff was a little bumpy and there was a lot of turbulence. A plane had just skidded off the runway at Laguardia earlier that day so that was on my mind. I noticed the pilot wasn't white knuckling it, so I felt pretty good even when the plane swayed back and forth and the attendants had to suspend snack service.

After a long day of layovers and flying, I grabbed a rental car and drove an hour up to Hot Springs. It was a pretty drive going up to the mountains, hills more like it. But nonetheless, pretty. It was dark by the time I arrived to Jon's hotel so I couldn't see much of the town but I saw lights reflecting on the lake that his hotel overlooks. And a lake nearby is always a good sign.

A Take on the town later!

Love,
L

An old sign in the very cute town 

of Hot Springs, Arkansas 

Drive by love

Just a corner of the back yard.

**This was to be my Valentine's post but I didn't quite know how to finish so I didn't share. But, I decided to share anyway. Enjoy.

The house was quiet with all three kids taking a nap. I turned off the tv and listened to the stillness. Sinking deep into the comfortable leather chair that had been broken in over time, I looked out to the large picture window. To say it was large would be an understatement. It was massive, taking up almost the whole wall. I sat contemplating all that had gone on over the summer. The three months work of going through every single personal belonging in ones life was not an easy task. And the clearing, cataloguing, and distributing items along with cleaning and sprucing up a house to be sale-ready was a full-time job. At times it was overwhelming and I doubted my abilities to get it done. Soon though, I told myself, it would be over and done on time and we could fly back home to Jon and our other two children who stayed back with him in Pennsylvania.

My mind wandered as I stared out the window. Occasionally a car would drive past very slowly. I presumed they were taking a look at the "For Sale" sign in our front yard. It was a cute brick cottage on a tree-lined street with a half-acre backyard. Its sale was garnering a lot of attention.

A prime location in Logan, Utah and the unusual farm-like space out back was worth every penny I was asking for, maybe more really. Every Thursday I would go to the edge of the property and open up the water gates and flood the ground with fresh mountain water. Owning water rights was a commodity. I kicked myself for purchasing a home out East and tying us to that area when this house would have been a dream. I would have only been a day's drive from family. Originally we had planned on buying it years before but we decided to take the job transfer to Pennsylvania. My mom was so sad about that.

One car that drove by was going really slow. I thought maybe they were going to stop and then I thought they were running out of gas since it seemed to be inching down the road. I noticed the right turn signal was blinking so I knew it was not stopping. In order to come into my driveway, it would have to signal left. I waited to see where it would turn and watched as it began to turn into the driveway right across the street from my window. I was fixated on how slowly it was going and I surmised that it must be the elderly couple that my mom spoke of from time to time. They were well into their 80's.

I watched as their garage door automatically lifted and how the car pulled in to the immaculate space. There wasn't even a box to be seen, only a freezer and coat rack. It was a far cry from the garage that had just taken me months to unpack. The sun shine was coming from the East and gave direct light onto them.

From the driver's side stepped out an elderly man carrying a paper shopping bag with handles. His steps were short and shuffled. Time had slowed him. He came around the back of the car to the passenger side. With his right hand he gently opened the door. Reaching in with his left, he took the purse from his wife and was now holding two bags. How sweet, I thought, that he would make it easier for her to exit the vehicle. After pushing the door further open he extended his right hand and took his beloved's hand in his as he guided her out of the car. She was smartly dressed. A thin woman with a cream colored a-line skirt and long-sleeved blue flowered blouse. A light sweater covered her shoulders. It was the middle of summer but in the desert, the cool nights can leave you with a chill.

As she stepped out of the car, she smoothed out her skirt and smiled up at her husband. He took a small step toward her, leaned in and gave her a kiss on the lips. She smiled at him again and gently touched his face. I imagined she said something about their past, and maybe how handsome he still was, just like when they were young. They were still looking at each other, smiling as she fixed his collar. She stepped away from the car so he could shut the door. Turning back to her they each reached to hold hands and walked to the other side of the garage. With bags still in one hand, he reached up and pushed the garage door opener that was fastened to the wall, never letting go of her hand. I watched the door slowly go down, hearing the familiar whirl of its motor through an open window. My gaze was only interrupted by the single tear that fell from my cheek.

Love & being lame

My horses in the newspaper a long time ago. My family home is in the background (between the horses) on the side of the hill.

Recently while on our morning sprinting exercise, Jon tweaked his leg a bit. He tried to run it out but it was still a little sore. After we returned home, we drove out to the farm for some milk and to the supermarket. Along the way he told me that if he ever becomes lame (as in not being able to be physically active) then just put him out of his misery, like they did with my horse.

"My horse wasn't put out of his misery! He's playing on a farm somewhere right now. Anyway, I would go to jail." I said.

"No one would send you to jail." he said

"Yeah huh, Look at Dr. Kevorkian. He's there."

And then a guy jogged across the street in front of us.

"I used to be that fast." Jon remarked. "All fast and cool."

"You still are." I assured him

"No, I'm laaame." he said, stretching out the word "lame" and impersonating The Hunchback of Notre Dame.

Glancing over at him I said, "I could put you out of your misery now." and we laughed and laughed.

I'm told marriage is supposed to get dull but to us, ours just gets funnier and funnier.

Philly freedom

I have the nicest husband ever. I've always known that. Even before he was my husband when we were just a coupla kids in high school, I knew. I just never told anybody then so as not to ruin the rep.

He decided to meet me in Philadelphia after my meeting on Saturday so we could spend the weekend together. Just the two of us. I can't think of the last time we were able to do that.

Being across the country from both sides of our families ever since we married has never afforded us the ability for a couple get-a-way. We need that from time to time, you know?

So even though he had only dropped me off at the train station 8 hours before, my heart skipped a beat when I saw him standing in the hotel lobby, all dressed up and sporting a new fitted jacket. He was on his phone, calling me so I could direct him to where I was sitting in the large lobby. We turned to see each other and continued to talk on the phone as we walked to meet. I couldn't help but let a huge grin overtake my face. This was going to be a great weekend, I thought. And it was.

We walked all over downtown, shopped at a few favorite stores, visited the Reading Terminal Market, and sat at a romantic table tucked in the back of a nice restaurant.

We meant to get back home early the following day but we played hooky a little longer and didn't return until the evening. The kids texted us to let us know they were all right and hoped we were safe and having fun. It was role reversal. Even mom and dad break curfew every now and then.

Waiting to begin the conference.

Do you know how many lights are on the chandelier? I do. My mind kinda wandered at times.

Fabric workshop and museum. Cool, huh?

Night time

Back alleys


William Penn welcomes



Fun shops

Buying treats for the kiddos at the Reading Terminal Market



Brought home new measuring cups

The end.