Living as close as I do to Green Bay (the body of water) is very nice during the summer because of the relatively cool summer temperatures, long days, cool breezes off the Lake and proximity of water sports. During the winter though? Not so much. Days are very short in winter, with the sun going down around 4 p.m. and the cool breezes off the Lake are downright cold winds that bluster and cut right through a person. Plus, "Lake effect" snow is only fun to shovel the first time or two before it mounds in piles of dirty ice at the corners of driveways and shoveling becomes a sweaty and exhausting chore performed in subfreezing temperatures at the beginning of the work day.
For several years, I have vehemently declared that "this year" will be my last winter in the "Northern hinterlands." Every year, I plan to travel to Texas (near where I lived with my personal prodigal) to stay with my son during the worst part of "next winter." Sadly, I have not been able to make that happen... yet. But THIS year, I did manage to visit over the Christmas holiday.
When I originally planned my escape, a woman was boarding in my home. The plan was to leave Snickers (my dog) and my plants with her while I drove down to whisk my daughter off to Texas for her last undergraduate winter break. My intention was to visit my son, meet up with a few friends, eat REAL Tex-Mex again, and give my daughter the opportunity to see in person the company for which she is designing her senior project.
As it turned out, my border moved away before the holidays. So I wound up dropping Snickers off with my parents -- something I had been trying to avoid (with good reason) and I stayed with them for a couple of days. I got there on December 12th so I expected it would be too early for the family Christmas gift-exchange, but everyone gathered at my brother's house on the thirteenth. There was food and an exchange of gifts, then my family completely disrespected my wishes to leave town with an empty trunk. They loaded it up with presents for my kids and me to open together.
Ugh. Family. ;-)
The next day (the 15th), I drove all day to get to my daughter's university housing. She is in an apartment this year, so I was able to save some money by crashing at her place (crashing and washing dishes). Then I slept for a day before we took off for Texas.
First stop along our route: My 2 acre lot in Tennessee. I like to drive by and take a picture every time I am in the area -- which happens about once every 7 years or so. The lot is part of a left-over dream from my prodigal's super-hero days. (Ah, well. "The best laid plans...") I keep it in hope that the effects of the red kryptonite he was exposed to will someday wear off and our dream can be resurrected.
It has been a number of years since the gravel driveway was put onto our otherwise empty lot. This picture shows my daughter standing in front of it. You can tell where the driveway channel is because only grass grows on it, whereas trees and scrub have grown on the rest of the lot during the years I have neglected it. (Which I would not have done if I had money to put toward building.)
Anne and I took two days to drive to from her university apartment to our second stop: A friend's house in the suburbs of Dallas.
For several years, I have vehemently declared that "this year" will be my last winter in the "Northern hinterlands." Every year, I plan to travel to Texas (near where I lived with my personal prodigal) to stay with my son during the worst part of "next winter." Sadly, I have not been able to make that happen... yet. But THIS year, I did manage to visit over the Christmas holiday.When I originally planned my escape, a woman was boarding in my home. The plan was to leave Snickers (my dog) and my plants with her while I drove down to whisk my daughter off to Texas for her last undergraduate winter break. My intention was to visit my son, meet up with a few friends, eat REAL Tex-Mex again, and give my daughter the opportunity to see in person the company for which she is designing her senior project.
As it turned out, my border moved away before the holidays. So I wound up dropping Snickers off with my parents -- something I had been trying to avoid (with good reason) and I stayed with them for a couple of days. I got there on December 12th so I expected it would be too early for the family Christmas gift-exchange, but everyone gathered at my brother's house on the thirteenth. There was food and an exchange of gifts, then my family completely disrespected my wishes to leave town with an empty trunk. They loaded it up with presents for my kids and me to open together.
Ugh. Family. ;-)
 |
| Anne in front of our grow-over, gravel driveway. |
First stop along our route: My 2 acre lot in Tennessee. I like to drive by and take a picture every time I am in the area -- which happens about once every 7 years or so. The lot is part of a left-over dream from my prodigal's super-hero days. (Ah, well. "The best laid plans...") I keep it in hope that the effects of the red kryptonite he was exposed to will someday wear off and our dream can be resurrected.
It has been a number of years since the gravel driveway was put onto our otherwise empty lot. This picture shows my daughter standing in front of it. You can tell where the driveway channel is because only grass grows on it, whereas trees and scrub have grown on the rest of the lot during the years I have neglected it. (Which I would not have done if I had money to put toward building.)
Anne and I took two days to drive to from her university apartment to our second stop: A friend's house in the suburbs of Dallas.
~to be continued~
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