Vacation!

Come Saturday morning the Good Witch and I will hit the road for almost two weeks while son #1 holds down the home front.

We'll start in south central Kentucky, where many years ago I met my wife-to-be in the officer's club at Fort Campbell. She's the oldest of eight kids, most of whom still live near Hopkinsville. I really enjoy visiting with this large family . They're good, hard-working people, the home-cooked food is great although a bit too plentiful, and I know a good golf course not far from where we'll be staying. Once upon a time I was the Yankee who stole the girl for a marriage that would never last, but after 43 years the family has figured out I'm OK. To give you an idea of how different it is down there, a wild peacock often flies up to the cupola of her sister's country home, just to have a look around!

Then on to the Tri-Cities area, to Johnson City, Tennessee. My next younger brother is now retired there on a large piece of property where he wears himself out doing major agricultural and construction projects. Larry loves to cook gourmet food, and he and Barbara are educated in the Renaissance style. For a thrill, maybe he'll let me shoot the incredible sniper-type rifle he bought for who knows what reason; everyone in those parts seems to be armed to the teeth! The last time I visited, we ate sausage that Larry made himself, starting from a live pig. This will definitely be our second stop in the country!

Then, on to Hendersonville, North Carolina, to visit my mom and check out a condo we've owned for a few years - it's our bailout place if Rochester winters ever get too much to bear. Hendersonville, set in the foothills of the Blue Ridge, is loaded with retired northerners. I'll play golf with my 83 year old step-dad, who braves painful foot neuropathy to stay connected with his favorite sport. My 88 year old mom is still going strong, healthy as anything and working hard painting watercolor portraits and people scenes. Some people just have the great genes!

Then, back to Rochester via scenic West Virginia. The trip will put well over 2,000 miles on my van, but none of the driving days will be obscene because the Good Witch mandates regular pit stops.

The two of us have been to lots of places in this country and Europe, we've stayed in some fine hotels in the big cities, and we've lounged in the sun on beautiful lake shores. Now, those kinds of vacations are over, just because they're our history and don't need to be repeated. But "family" seems to become more and more interesting as the years pass and everyone mellows. We'll relax and talk over a soft drink (Kentucky), a bourbon whiskey (Tennessee), or a Scotch (North Carolina), and get in a few rounds of golf if the weather allows. That's what "vacation" has become, and that's just fine with me. Maybe I'll post a few pictures on my return.