I’m up extra early this morning, or, as the locals call it, “extree”. We’re on the way home. Sunday was big reunion day, yesterday was a big drive day. Today, another big drive day. I woke up early because I wanted to get this blog business cleared. If I don’t write here twice a week at such and such a time, my responsibilities as a writer, a provider, a creator, a man, all will fall to deprivation. All will fall to doom.

On these long drives, pictures of aged country still find their way into my head. Grain silos on the skyline, beau colic scenes of farmlands surrounded by dense copses of trees, livestock and native fauna in a delightful array. My particular favorite was the vernacular of the people. “Twern’t'”, “ain’t never”, and, as opposed to miles-per-hour, “mile-er’nowur” came up a few times. A sentence that still brings glee, “Why, he jurst lerft. You mirst hirm by abo’twern’mirn’go.” I understood, eventually, but believe you me, it took much of my brain power and a couple repeated requests before that understanding was had. The whole culture and pace of things is way outside my norms. I loved it all. I am a slack jawed tourist high on the novelty like some sort of smack addict.

Grandma, the other character in this tale, really did enjoy herself. This trip was important and witnessing it firsthand, I could see why. While my highs were found in the newness, hers were nostalgia. Soon as we would pass a dilapidated building, she’s give me a brief history on the building, the inhabitants way back when, and the relation to her at so and so an age. Between those moments and what could be gleaned from her conversing with old friends, there were so many interconnected tales and peoples, it was all a blur. Be that as it may, I still appreciated the tales as they were shared. Grandma really did lose herself in the memories and familiarities. A welcome site to be sure.

I can’t help but notice how, as we return home, the troubles we left behind loom in the future. Granny worries about her troubles and I’ve become increasingly agitated by my own. The vacation did what vacations so, which was to give us an escape. Yet there is a home to get back to and the obligations, sometimes troubles that come with it.