I’m in NY on my annual trip. It was a crazy month till now, a lot of stuff going on at home and I didn’t know for certain I was coming till about two days before. I packed enough clothes for 2 weeks because I pretty much threw stuff in the suitcase on Thursday. (I counted 13 pairs of leggings when I went through my stuff the other night – I’m only here for 6 days, plus one travel day)

.So far I’ve seen two nephews, one niece, visited the cemeteries to see my parents and another cemetery to visit my sister. I didn’t go to that cemetery in October, it was cold and raw and I’d had all the emotion I could handle that day. Today I made myself go. It’s much harder to be here than at home, because here she’s supposed to be and home she isn’t Her daugher gave me a ring she always wore, it fits on my index finger and I will wear it daily.

I’ve slept and read and done some work on the school board campaign, and it’s been okay. I’d rather be home, but it’s good to be away too. Today is lunch with the friend who buys me fabric, then we’ll chat away the afternoon. This evening I have to teach, but it’s a class where everyone works together on homework and I just monitor, so I will probably be playiing with fabric grading their homework and studying during that time.

Tomorrow is a visit with my oldest cousin, then hopefully dinner with my favprite great nephew, Saturday is time with another old friend and one last visit to my other favorite nephew (there are three, the terrible trio own my heart totally and completely) – who has a terrible habit of giving me a list of books that I HAVE to read! – and home on Sunday. I dread the drive, it’s just long and boring and I wish I could just step into a portal and be there. But alas, I cannot. I’ll be home by 4 (hopefully earlier) and asleep on the sofa, head on Bear’s shoulder, within an hour. And then it’s back to reality!

Monday morning I have to take my neighbor to her physical therapy evaluation, and I think I can convince her to go to lunch after that. And it will be good to be home