NC Thursday May 10th. . .

10:00am. . .Outside...sunshine...birds...breeze...lots of sky...watching Jerry, the dog, explore the fenced in perimeter of the backyard.  It feels a little like a typical spring day in upstate NY so there is no sensation of being 'away from home.'  I hear the droning sound of airplanes in the distance and the sound of an occasional vehicle beyond the fence and pecan trees on Roslin Farm Road.  Other than that, the neighborhood is very quiet.  

I can't help but notice how family patterns have changed in the years since our children were young.  (I'm not about to debate the pros and cons of which way is better; my only comment on that topic is to say that nothing stays the same and that the 'old' way is not necessarily the 'best' way.)  Differences, however, are apparent to me.  During week days, particularly, I find myself wondering where all the people are who belong to all these houses?  Late in the afternoon it begins to bustle with the neighborly comraderie of smiles and waves as well as a 'mixed chorus' of  barking dogs and happy children playing.  Well...maybe some not so happy.  =^) 

It was a nice surprise yesterday to have some close family from 'up home' drop by as they were passing through.  I'm sorry for the circumstances that brought them to NC but it was oh, so good to see them.  Later, there was the Wednesday night dinner at church which happened to be lasagna night -- one of my favorites!  Afterward, some time to relax and visit before turning in for the night.  I slept really well, so soundly that when I woke up this morning, it took me a few minutes to get oriented and unlike the night before when a series of quite disturbing dreams (nightmares?) kept waking me up.  I don't like it when my dreams are so vivid that I remember them because I spend way too much time trying to analyze them. 

Let's see...it has been over a week now since I left French Woods behind me, temporarily, and I'm settled in for the time being.  I wouldn't really call this a 'vacation,'  though, since there is nothing back home that I feel the need to get away from.  What would I call it?  That's a good question.  I guess I could call it a 'temporary relocation' to be 'home' with the rest of my family.