Bunny Ears

Bunny Ears, a photo by northwoodsluna on Flickr.

We got home about 6PM last night.
Highlights of the trip disjointed thoughts because there's no way to capture all the sights, sounds, smells, sounds, tastes, and joys of the trip. IT WAS A GREAT TRIP, and full of joys and laughter.

The joy it gave me to see the smile on my mom's and sisters' faces when they saw me at the church before Uncle Dave's funeral.
The joy it gave me to be able to hug and spend time with my fantastic sisters!
The tears in Aunt Mary Kathryn's eyes, "I can't believe you came all that way to be here."
Spending a little time with 4 of my cousins I have seldom seen over the years!
Seeing 2 of my brothers and hugging them. I missed Smokey and Patrick and their children who were not able to attend.
Spending time with 3 of my Doyle nephews! What awesome kids!
My nephew Andy is growing a beard, he gave me his old art supplies. (He's more into computer generated art, and his big love is music;he's an accomplished guitarest and building his own sound system, I wish I could have seen my other nephew Dylan Doyle, another fantasicly gifted guitarist and mandolinist too!)
Tom was overjoyed to find smoking rooms at the three Country Inn and Suites we stayed at on our trip to and from Iowa for my Uncle's funeral: first in Grand Rapids MN, Dubuque IA, and then Elk River MN. (And they accept pets too!) Being able to smoke his pipe (which smells yummy when lit) is a small guilty pleasure.
The skies were sunny, the temperature unseasonably warm and comfortable, no mishaps or forgotten items on the trip (this is big! LOL)
It was especially nice to have all that time together in the car after weeks of being ships passing due to our jobs.
On the trip down: there is something so sad about huge wind turbines standing still on the Iowa prairie. They look so sad when they're not spinning. They looked much happier on Friday on our return home with arms dancing in the wind. Prairie Sufi Dancers!.
Driving on the streets of Dubuque brought back so many happy memories and a few not so happy, but mostly happy!
Family stories shared at the funeral!
Brunch at my mom's house with her and my sister Terri, the day we left to drive back, My youngest sister made Quiche Lorraine, and sent a loaf of her delicious cornbread home with us along with hummus, Trader Joe's Cherry Tomatoes, the sweetest baby carrots I"ve ever eaten, and Mom sent apples. Fun to be nurtured by your family!
Enjoyed leaving my mom a little "whiskey money" for her to find after we'd left. (a family joke)
We don't often buy "souveniers" on trips instead we buy "things" that we will enjoy or use that will remind us of the trip. We had the rest of Thursday afternoon and evening to ourselves. I got a chance to go to Hobby Lobby Thursday after the funeral to buy a few art supplies and green St. Paddy's Day items to decorate "The Tree" for March, and a lovely hand made watercolor paper journal for me to use for journaling this year.
Bought a few sundries at Target on Thursday afternoon along with the Iris Johanssen book BONNIE, and another book, and a CD of Celtic Music for sleep. Relaxed me so much in the car yesterday that I fell asleep and slept for 2 hours.
Bought a NOOK tablet to carry with me for those times when a client is a NO SHOW or I have to wait. It will pay for itself in gas money saved on extra trips back and forth to Baudette when there's an hour or more to spend waiting for the next client session. I can use that time instead having a cup of coffee at The Smiling Moon and read or check e-mail etc. Loving the NOOK! It's going to save on my book bill! It was great for reading in the car Friday night after dark! I got a lovely cover for it, willow green embossed with a quote by Sir Christopher Wren, "Choose your authors as you choose a friend." Isn't that the truth? Books by favorite authors do become great friends!
I had a bit of time to do a little art Thursday evening and Friday morning. I'm behind schedule on getting my doll done for the Freakwerx swap, and my journal ready to send in for the round robin of 7 that I joined, stretching myself a bit as it's more a dark arts kind of journal rather than the ones of that past where people wanted pretty or cute. Welcoming the challenge!
Stopped at Caribou Coffee in Grand Rapids yesterday and bought 3 bags of coffee, 2 of our very favorite, Mocha Java, and I got a latte for the ride home.
How lovely to get home and into pajamas, make a pot of soup, a salad, enjoy the cornbread my sister sent, and watch a movie with Tom last night before going to bed in our own bed to read before sleep. BLISS!!

I am going to stay home from church today and "nest". We did not have a chance to do dishes or clean before we left as I worked all day Tuesday and had so much work stuff to get finished before packing, Tom was busy with errands and getting the dog to the kennel before we left and other stuff. So I want to stay home and clean, unpack and get myself together for the week which is looking like it might be really busy! Mostly I want to work on the doll and journal after I clear away some of the clutter and get the dishes done! My art table is my cathedral!

LIFE IS GOOD!