I am at the tail end of a wonderful vacation. Last Monday I traveled from the Louisville area to central North Carolina with my folks. We ran into some snags (a HUGE rock slide has closed the route we were taking and sent us a hundred miles out of the way), we had some giggles, we made some last minute changes to our itinerary and overall had a decent road trip with plenty of "stretch your joints and walk the dog" stops along the way.
We arrived at my sister's home on Monday night to a host of hugs- we are big on affection in my family- and I settled in there while my parents moved on to the distinguished visitor's quarters at Seymour Johnson where they would spend the week. We basically just "hung out" together for the week- nothing planned and nothing pressing which makes for a relaxing time together. On Wednesday evening, Lisa and I headed up to Raleigh-Durham International Airport to pick up my honey. He arrived safe and sound and back down to the house we went.
Thanksgiving was very typical of our family. We girls pitched in to make the meal. Mom and Lisa worked on the main meal while I contributed the cranberry tart things, a pineapple angelfood cake and the setting of the table and such. Dad and Gary (Lisa's hubby) worked out in the yard and my honey did his thing as well. We all sat down to our meal around four or four-thirty and then after a group clean up we retired to the living room to watch a movie together. After the movie, Mom and Dad went back to their suite and we did our evening walk with the dogs. As much as we didn't want to Jim and I went to repack our bag, shower and get ready for our return trip in the morning. When we finished we reluctantly headed to bed knowing that none of us were going to get much sleep.
Very early in the morning Lisa and I were up. She was doing her own version of Black Friday Shopping- and I was getting antsy. After she got home from a quick-wasted- trip to Walmart (who- of course- sold out of the item that she wanted within minutes because they only brought 16 of the item in-grrrrrrr) I got up and had my coffee with her while she was doing her online shopping. By the time Mom and Dad got there around 7 we were all up and dressed. Unfortunately- Dad was ready to get on the road so we rushed through the last minute packing (and I left most of my refridgerated items behind-lol) and gave our hugs and kisses and were out the door. Though we ran into some snow in the mountains- the weather was actually not too bad for our ride home and we arrived at Louisville International Airport where my honey had left his car around 12 hours after we left NC. We transferred our stuff into our car and headed home while Mom and Dad went down the road to stay the night before continuing on to their home Saturday morning.
I have been very fortunate with this trip. Until Saturday, the pain of both my RA and Fibromylagia have been very mild. We stopped often and I was able to stretch and relax the whole trip. I was fighting a cold or infection of some sort and managed to not get sick until I came home. I also had two more days once I was home to recover and get mentally ready for my return to work.
I have had so very much to be thankful for this Thanksgiving Season. I am blessed with a family who loves and cares about one another so very much. I am blessed with sisters who are as generous as they are sweet. I am blessed with a son, neices and nephews who are all good kids. I am thankful that my beloved Harley is such a good traveler and a social little dog who wants to be friends with everyone- even my sister's cats who didn't understand it and wanted nothing to do with her-lol. I am grateful that my health has held and I was able to contribute to the preparation of the family meal.
I hope that each and every one of you has been as blessed as I have been this holiday season.
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