Highs and Lows

I feel as though our road trip adventure/life has been like Life Exaggerated, in that the Lows have been looooowww.... and the Highs have been HIGH!

The lows have mostly resulted from bad weather. At every key stop along the way, we've had at least one really viscious rainstorm and high (scary) winds have played a factor too. In San Antonio, Louisiana, Charleston and Vienna, we had at least one night of violent rain. And now, here in New England, we're stuck in a rainy pattern that will take a few days to clear.

We arrived last Thursday at the state park beach campground. Thursday and Friday were sunny and glorious, and we made the most of sitting on the beach. We also drove up to York, Maine, where Dick (RVPainter) and I lived for our first 13 years together. Those were happy, content times and we reveled in seeing and enjoying this place that we loved together. We drove up around Nubble Light and got ice cream at Brown's. It was a perfect day in every way.

Then Saturday, the storm descended. The weatherfolks said there would be rain showers off an on, with some clearing and then some more showers over the next few days. Well! There were times when Saturday seemed like a hurricane with torrential downpours and crazy wind. Sunday it drizzled all day, and then last night wild winds and rain. This morning it's drizzly again and it will take a few days for the pattern to clear out.

But in and around the wild, sometimes scary weather, there have been wonderful moments. On Saturday, friends I'd known from high school drove up and we went to dinner along Rye Beach - lobster rolls, onion rings and lots of laughter. Here they are - Marylou and Jim - I've known Marylou since second grade - maybe even kindergarten!

Then on Sunday, Dick's sister Cathy had a family reunion at her house in Dover, NH. There were neices and nephews and Dick's cousins that we hadn't seen in YEARS! More than 10 years for most. Cathy's kids all have little ones now, so there was a new generation of young uns running around, and one brandy new baby - Hannah - just a month old.

Dick's brother has some health issues, so that was emotional for them both. But I felt emotional too - realizing how long it had been since we'd seen and enjoyed these wonderful people.

Dick has a fear of rain - it's an actual phobia - and he works hard to keep a good attitude when the weather is like this. It's why he doesn't like New England. I love New England, but I have to admit that this weather doesn't just put a damper on things - it's actually scary at times, and when it goes on too long, it gets depressing.

But a major part about this part of our trip was seeing and reconnecting with family, and that part has been wonderful beyond our expectations. Last weekend it was with my family and this week with Dick's. It's not about the weather, it's about the people.

Another low is that we have to waste some time on this trip having the leveler system replaced, and we have a problem with our slide that needs fixing too. But I guess since the weather isn't exactly glorious, it doesn't much matter. Depending on when those things can get done, we may be delayed on our departure for our next leg up into Maine. We have to remind ourselves that even though we have an overall schedule, it really doesn't matter if we have to change it some.

Last week I had a wonderful visit with third graders at Kittredge Elementary in North Andover, and tomorrow I talk with 4th and 5th graders in Londonderry, NH about "Show, Don't Tell."

So you can see the lows and highs have been very intense. I know the weather pattern will pass (eventually! sometime! it has to!), but the good memories of time with family and friends will stay with us forever.