Vacation

My mother left for PA today for a nice long visit with my sister and her family. They both made comments that it would be nice if I could join them. Man, that would be nice!

I love where my sister lives. It is verdant and bucolic. There are enough big cities that you can do serious shopping yet pastoral enough that you can drive for miles in nothing but wooded valleys and hills. They have real seasons and the people tend to be more small-town minded.

Where I live is part of one great big megalopolis. From San Diego to the north of Los Angeles (and beyond), and as far east as San Bernardino, there are few places left with actual Nature visible and untamed. You can drive most of the trip on the 5 freeway and rarely will you be out of sight of buildings and humanity's urban sprawl. While it is true that there are many advantages to living in such a mega complex, there are drawbacks too; increased crime, increased pollution, increased prices, increased distance from the natural world.

I have not gone anywhere else except to my sister's for vacation in about 10 years. I only seem to manage it once every other year, but I treasure that time immensely. She likes it, too, because I am one of the few people she doesn't have to "plan" for. She knows I am just as happy sitting on her couch as I am trying to take in the sights. We usually manage a trip to the Renaissance fair (last time we went in costume even! What fun!) and she usually takes a day off so I can go see some history I haven't yet seen (last time was Washington DC, which was fun but a day-trip is just not enough). This year was to be my trip back east, but my health has been less than stellar so far, and I'm not sure I can afford the days off. I hate that my health can dictate something like that to me, but I live with it. My sister will happily wait and hope I can make it next year.

However, I am planning a small vacation in September to a neighboring state, toward which I am really looking forward. On tap already is a trip to one of the nature parks in that area, which will allow me to connect with the ... well, "nothing" ... that is so breathtaking and beautiful in the desert. I hope to see it through new eyes and a fresh perspective. I also should have some people to see. A friend who just this month moved to that area has even offered her home to me as a place to stay-- and said she will make Enchiladas! I love enchiladas. It will be nice to see her husband, with whom I played softball for many years, with whom I can talk football, and who is a generally great guy. I can also see the new baby and the older children.

So, I sit here in my megalopolis, thinking of my mom, flying back east, my sister in her little piece of paradise, my small vacation in two months and the friends I will see then, and I can be at peace at least a little. Sometimes even a mental vacation is enough to tie you over until the real thing comes around.