The Last Good Byes

The first few legs of our journey have been visiting Colburn’s family and saying more good byes.   At this point, quite frankly, we have tired of saying good bye.  It has become a protracted version of “death by 1000 cuts”.   Our first good bye was to Deb’s sister back at the end of April (before she and Roland headed out on their adventure to Alaska for the summer), then to our friends and colleagues in Reno, and then leaving Moxie and the Lowells, and finally Colburn’s family.  Now, three months later, we have finally said the last “good bye”.  Interestingly, the first ones were the most difficult.  We have become accustomed to feeling somewhat melancholy when we drive away.   We each do our own thing to process our feelings (watch the scenery go by, listen to music, play on the iPad) then seem to regroup an hour or so later and get on with it.  And, although sad to have to say good bye, we have had an absolute blast at each place!

We began this section of good byes with 10 days at the family camp on Big Moose Lake in upstate New York with Grandpa and Grandma Donna.  We have spent time there most every summer since Colburn and I first started dating and it seems that there is something new there each year. For the first time, we were able to be there for the 4th of July festivities – and ,wow, what an event that is.  Despite being a relatively small community in a rural area, they know how to have a fireworks show!  A couple families (not professionals, just folks who spend summers there) put together a fireworks show of amazing quality.  All the folks on the lake come out on their boats, barges, and floating docks and watch from the water.  We had arrived on the early side so had a front row parking spot.   We all felt as if we were in the fireworks show, not just watching it.  Amazing!

This year also was special because Lucia learned to water ski and Mac found a passion for getting thrown off of the inner tube.  Having cautious children, we were proud of them both for their accomplishments.  Grandpa surprised the kids by renting a giant water trampoline with a slide that provided hours of fun!  Unfortunately, most of our time on the trampoline was when it was raining, so we don’t have any pictures, but we definitely have the memories!  Thanks for a great week Grandpa and Grandma Donna!

After the Camp, we were off for the fourth annual week at Cape Cod with Granny and Jean as well as Richard (Colburn’s brother and his family and Caroline (Colburn’s sister) and her family.  The summer rendezvous at the Camp and Cape have truly become a tradition and anchor for this side of the family.  The Latin-American Shindell’s brought their 11 year old cousin, Juana, this year which was great fun for Lucia.  She now has a friend in Buenos Aires whom we will visit in November.   Our days were spent swimming in the kettle ponds, playing in the ocean surf and eating our fill of seafood.  Lucia has floored us with her love of seafood – one night when we were out for dinner, she wanted to order a dozen raw oysters and a steamed lobster.  We had to say, “you know honey, that’s a little too much for a 10 year old.”  She ended up with a half dozen oysters and grilled lobster tail…not much better.   Mac has also committed to trying new things – including raw oysters and raw sushi.  The sushi was a winner, but he said, “I think I will pass on the oysters next time.”

Now we are in Costa Rica and adapting to our new life on the road now that we have said our last good byes.