Hey there kittens! It’s
been too long, and for that I apologize.
I’ve been a bit busy with life in general and a wee-bit vacation that I
just returned from.
“OOH vacation! Where
did you go? What did you see?” I can hear ya’all already. Well, if you must know, I went to Point
Marion, Pennsylvania and I saw exactly what I needed to see – myself. I went with a wonderful friend and was able
to share with her my passion for the town, the house I practically grew up in
(my Grandmother’s house), and a totally different side of me. The side of me that is calm, relaxed, and
just flat out happy. Not a side many get
to see often; and it’s a side I haven’t seen myself in quite a while.
We had a lovely time, doing things that most people would
not find very ‘vacation-like’. We played
games at the kitchen table, talked about everything from growing up to growing
old (I feel so much older than I am most of the time), went to the mall, saw a
movie. We walked around the river and
went to Friendship Hill (a National Historic Site). Above everything else, we explored the small
house where I spent so many of my childhood hours. We were confronted with the past, the present
and what I hope is the future for me.
Bootsie, my grandmother’s cat who crossed the Rainbow Bridge MANY years
ago, made quite a few appearances; and I came out of the experience with 9
spider bites. Apparently I am VERY
tasty.
I love this little town.
With a population of somewhere around 1,000 (though I think that might
be generous) and a total footprint of just over 9 square miles, it’s nestled in
the convergence of the Cheat and Monongahela rivers. The
town is quiet, and at just about any given day at any time you can absorb the
quiet, laid-back attitude the town gives off.
In the midst of the adventure I learned things about my
Grandmother that I would have never imagined.
Things that make me smile and realize she was SO much more than just “grandma”. I’ll keep the details to myself but man ...what
enlightenment. Moreover, I learned a
many great things about myself …things I never imagined I’d learn.
Radios and
Televisions
I think we turned on the television once during our 4 day
stay at the house; to watch a movie.
Other times, it was just the radio playing in the background. However, often it was neither and I could just
listen to the quiet that comes with being in Point Marion. Birds, insects, occasionally a dog barking …
and that’s just about it. Once in a
while you’d hear a car or truck jetting up the 119 hill; or a teenager’s radio –
but nothing like you do when you’re in a big city. I realized this weekend the reason I
constantly have my television on at home – or my radio – is to drown out the other
noises of where I live. People arguing
outside, slamming doors, thumping car radios, traffic, marching bands, fire
trucks, and the list can go on and on.
I don’t want to hear other people living, so I turn on something to make
noises that I prefer. Strange, maybe –
but so very true.
Spiders and Their
Homes
Spiders. I. Do. Not.
Like. Them. This is not a major revelation, but it was
something that was quite obvious this past weekend. Spiders just plain freak me out – I’m not
necessarily afraid of them – and I don’t care if there are fake ones around or
anything like that. But I don’t like
their creepy legs, and their quick movements.
Spider webs … yea, I don’t like them any more than the things that
inhabit them. I did come to a
realization though… the thicker the leg of the spider, the more I dislike
it. There were several different types
of Spiders trying to kill me this weekend—and the thinner the legs (regardless
of the size of the spider) the less I minded them. However, you get those beefy legs on a spider
and it’s “bye” for me. Just flat out
creepy.
Eat-In-Kitchen
I adore eat-in-kitchens.
90 percent of my down time this weekend was spent in the kitchen. Either
cooking (yes, I cook :-p), or sitting at
the table playing solitaire, or Farkle. There was something so relaxing and just perfect
for me about being at the table in the kitchen.
I don’t have that opportunity right now, as my kitchen isn't big enough
to ‘live’ in… I have a dining room table, but for some reason it is not the
same.
I remember way back in 1993; I had an apartment with my now
ex-husband that had a slightly larger kitchen.
We had a small desk in there where I would pay bills and write grocery
lists… and I remember sitting at that desk for hours, just being comfortable. I suppose the fascination with it isn’t all
that new, but the realization is.
PS kittens...this is not an opportunity to remind me that I “belong”
in the kitchen J
Learning About the
Past
I realized that I might not like history all that much, but
I love learning about the past when it comes to my family. I found myself helplessly fascinated going
through things that belonged to my grandparents. It’s amazing the things you can learn about
someone even when t hey aren’t there to talk to. From greeting cards (oh the cards) to
letters, newspaper clippings to autographs of celebrities, even surprising
books. I learned so much about the
people my grandparents were .. beyond the grandparent role. I loved every second of it.
Learning About the
Present
I learned that even though so much has evolved and the world
is a much more ‘connected’ place, small towns are still small towns. People still smile and wave at you, the girl
at the quick mart will still call you “honey” and when the one police officer
in town would probably rather give you a hug than a ticket. (Please don’t hug me). I learned that I like this way of living, I
like the way I’m utterly relaxed when I’m in that town, and I love the way I
feel about life in general. I move at a
slower pace, because to drive faster seems almost morally wrong. I walk slower because the scenery is amazing
and the hills are a bit tough to handle at times. Things are just so much more laid back… it’s
not quite Island life – and almost better for some reason.
Learning About the
Future
If things work out the way I want them to, Point Marion
could be my future. I would love living
there, in my grandmother’s house. Being
responsible for maintaining her and my PapPap’s legacy and their home. I can take some of the burden off of my
father who regularly goes there to ensure everything is alright with the
house. I can help out my family by
paying the taxes and utilities, and in the process start saving more money for
both myself and my daughter’s future. I could
finally have a place to call my own, and be proud of where it came from.
There are some obstacles to overcome before I can make this
dream a reality. I know that if it’s not
meant to be it won’t happen, but that doesn’t mean I won’t do everything in my
power to help it along. I want this more
than I’ve wanted something in a while, and fight for it I shall!
So, that’s about it for now, lovely and devoted
readers. My weekend away was a weekend
spent learning about myself and what I really want. My
personal challenge to you is this: do
some self-reflection and learn something about yourself that you never
knew. Don’t make it easy on yourself, dig deep and find a revelation. It’s in there somewhere, I’m sure of it.
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