God, this summer is flying by…
Vacation was madness. Total madness. With the stress that family can bring into my life, being home brought a solid reminder of why I live away. I just don’t have the patience to plan my life according to other people’s needs. I’m too selfish. I can admit that. But when you’re looking down the line to deployment to a war zone, feeling selfish about your last few weeks of freedom seems perfectly reasonable to me. But, being that I’m selfish, my viewpoint is probably more than slightly skewed, lol.
While I was home I was able to have one very relaxing day at the beach with my mother. The weather was perfect. It was 85 degrees and breezy, with bright blue sky and sunshine. Short Sands at York Beach, Maine was crowded – but not in the unbearable sort of way. The water was cold as it always is along the southern Maine coast, and even the hearty beachgoers weren’t staying in the water that long. I was able to get in to waist-deep surf before my teeth started chattering. Then I was making a bee-line back to my beach blanket for some sun-bathing to warm my cold bones. Mom and I enjoyed lunch from a sea-side takeout, and ate under our beach umbrella while the waves rolled in. My lobster roll was awesome, and just what the doctor ordered for my first New England meal – after all, I’d only gotten into town the night before. Might was well jump into Yankee cuisine with both feet J
My niece is quite possibly the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. At nine-months old, she’s a happy, healthy child, with a big smile and bright blue eyes. She looks like her daddy, and he is clearly the center of her little universe. Her whole face lights up when he walks into the room, and watching him with her made me realize that he really is all grown up – we both are, I guess. I wonder if it’s as odd a feeling for my parents as it is for me. Charlotte has four teeth, right up front, and when she grins, it’s infectious. She’s crawling – and clearly going to be a mischievous little thing – but with my brother’s looks, its only fitting that she have some of his temperament, too. I can’t believe how big she’s gotten since I was home at Christmas. It makes my heart hurt for the time I will miss with her while I’m away. A year is a long time when they’re that tiny, and when I return I doubt she’ll remember me. But, that comes with the path I’ve chosen, I suppose.
I also was able to make it up to Addison, Maine to see my grandmother. It was the first time I had made the trip in almost 8 years. I let life get in the way. But it was a great – albeit whirlwind – visit. I was able to spend time with my Aunt Tracy and Uncle Bunn and their three kids – though again “kids” is certainly a loose term. Drew will be 20 this fall, Taylor’s 18, and Anna is 16. Hell, Anna is taking her driving test this week. God, did that make me feel ancient. But I was able to steal her away for a few hours – she seems to have been bitten by the photography bug like her cousin, and we went on a short little adventure. There wasn’t time for more. Nana looks great – she and Aunt Debbie both look fantastic, actually. With my mother, they’ve all done the South Beach Diet and have lost ridiculous amounts of weight. My cousin, Matthew, stopped over with Candy and their new little baby Leigha. She’s precious, and looks so very tiny in Matthew’s big hands. He seems so happy – like some invisible weight has been lifted. I can’t recall a time in all our growing up that I’ve ever seen him so perfectly content. Candy is good for him. It was a good visit, and one that when I get back from deployment I will be making an effort to make more often.
On the way out of town, Mom and I stopped at Gramp’s grave. It was the first time I’d been there. When he passed away, I had just started working at the prison, and couldn’t get away for the funeral. As I knelt by his grave and picked the dead blossoms off the pink geraniums my grandmother had planted there, I couldn’t help but wonder what he would think of the choices I’ve made. When my gaze came to rest on the small flag in its Veteran stake at his headstone, I hoped I have made him proud.
I went to work with my dad one day – it was supposed to be for two days, but there was a little hiccup in the planning. The one day we did get out was full of its own hiccups as well – the first breakdown happened two hours into our workday, and we spent equal time working the land as turning wrenches for the rest of the day. We didn’t get a whole lot accomplished, needless to say. But it was time well-spent with my father, doing what he loves, so it certainly receives no complaint from me – even if I was so caked with black grease and oil and dust when I got home that my mother made me strip in the entry-way so as not to track it in through her house, lol. The whole day brought back memories of summers long-past when that whole scenario was a day-to-day routine. It seems hard to believe that those days were so long ago.
I also had the joy of meeting two people that were very old friends of my parents – Willie and Ellen. They drove in from Nebraska to visit with my family, and I could tell just by the brief interaction I had with them that they were very close to the young couple my parents used to be. Dad and Willie drove truck together back then, and before that, Willie worked in the garage in the same truck stop my mamma bartended in. The stories were colorful, and told in that rambling old Yankee sort of way that makes you want to sit and listen, even when you have more pressing matters you should be attending to. As the stories were woven on the back porch – with quite an audience that evening – my father’s laughter rang out in that booming way that I miss so often when I’m gone. I wonder if he knows he’s one of those men that are larger than life.
My Uncle Billy and Aunt Debbie were coincidentally also up from Virginia while I was home, and staying down at the lake. As always, the lake was a hub of activity, from the crew my uncle has working on the little camp doing some much needed structural support, to my cousin Cindy, with her three kids, and little John, my cousin Ann’s son visiting, and the two dogs running around – it was chaotic. It’s not a wonder my Uncle had to return to Virginia for a couple weeks to get some work done, lol. But I was able to get some quality time visiting with them. Christian is 13, and quietly polite, with a good sense of humor. The twins, Cara and Carter are fun, energetic polar opposites of one another. Carter seems a little afraid of everything, while Cara is afraid of nothing. They were both swimming without their life-jackets – always a milestone in a water-friendly family. Little John is… a handful, albeit an adorable one. He is also swimming without his life-jacket, though I had to fish him out of the lake by his swim trunks at one point. Cindy is beautiful, as always, and somehow very put-together, despite chasing three energetic children. Since my last visit to their home two Thanksgivings ago, nothing has changed really, and I still marvel at her ability to juggle it all. Aunt Debbie is the same sweet woman that she always is. Always warm and happy to see you, she’s the kind of woman that evokes a smile from people, just by being around. In watching Uncle Billy on this last visit, I couldn’t help but see how alike he and my father are. Strong, dedicated men, always with a project of some sort going, with a tale to tell along the way. I helped my Uncle get the big green canoe out of storage in the rafters on the shed, and repair the seats on it, with Christian doing a fine job of supervising the operation. Most of the talk was of the Army – Christian had a lot of questions, and Uncle Billy and I took turns answering them. I think Uncle Billy was a little relieved to have another Soldier present to field the questions to, and I think we were both surprised by how different the Army is now than it was when he was in.
My Grandmother, God Bless her, is as colorful as ever. I went down and spent a few hours with her when I could. She’s getting along well for 89, but I know her health isn’t what it used to be. I have a feeling I’ll be hearing from the Red Cross before I return from Afghanistan. But her energy is good, so long as she gets her nap in the afternoon. He garden looks good, and she made me a strawberry-rhubarb pie – I had a slice for breakfast every morning, even if I didn’t need the calories. After-all, what’s vacation without a little indulgence??
While most of my vacation was spent with family, I was able to get away for some much-needed play time with friends. I had two awesome nights with Suzie – one involved short-skirts, high heels, and copious amounts of alcohol. The other involved aimless driving, trespassing, and a camera. And a swim in the Atlantic, fully clothed. It was the kind of night that has come to mark my friendship with Suzanne. She looks good, and seems happy with Dave – even if there’s some drama that needs to be worked through. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that she gets what she wants from this relationship – she certainly deserves it.
A visit home for me wouldn’t be complete without seeing Randy, my oldest friend. We were in diapers together. His grandfather and my father joined the Navy together, back in 1963 on the Buddy System, and somehow over the years, Randy and I have managed to salvage a solid friendship – even if he’s made some less-than-stellar decisions along the way. So, a night was had by the riverside, with a campfire and beer and more laughter than I’ve had in a long time. I’ll miss him while I’m away.
Admittedly, vacation wasn’t all laughter and merriment – some serious things were discussed. My parents are struggling with the news of my upcoming deployment, and what parent wouldn’t really? It’s odd at almost 26 to have to discuss things like wills and funeral arrangements and such, and have the subject of the issue be you. But again, it comes with the choices I’ve made.
Falling back into rhythm at work has been a bit of a struggle after 10 days off, but I’m getting there. Tomorrow I go back to the gym for the first time, and I’m looking forward to it – even if it’s going to kill me after so much time off. I mean, sure, I ran while I was home, but that was pretty much it. So this week I’m going to be pretty sore and miserable, but it needs to be done, seeing as I know I’m looking at a PT test at the end of next month. It’s time to stop being a slacker. I think I’m going to try doing two-a-days for the next couple weeks – run at night after work, as well as do my pushups and situps, and do CrossFit during the day. I’m also buying my kayak this week, so I’m going to try to fit some time on it in there, too. So, the next month is going to be crazy-busy… just how I like it J
So, that’s life in a – well, I’d like to say “a nutshell” but this is far too lengthy for that, lol. I’ll try to update more often and avoid the book-length posts. I hope the summer is finding you all doing well and enjoying the sunshine J
