"The Drive"
“When summer gathers up her robes of glory, and, like a dream, glides away.”
– Sarah Helen Whitman
Montana’s summer is coming to an end and we are, very shortly, headed in her car, back across the United Sates to Maryland where she will attend her senior year of college.
For my friends “across the pond”, I thought you might enjoy seeing our route (click to enlarge). Its a bit under 3,000 miles give or take a few 100.
If you look thru the windows you will see the paddocks (click to enlarge)
We are stopping for a night of sleeping in a “bed”, shower, and a quick visit at Rosehaven, in Versailles, outside of Lexington, Kentucky. The place where the finest race horses in the world are bred, born & raised. For those of you in Europe it will probably pain you to know that Versailles is pronounced VER-SAILS in Kentucky. It took me a long time to get used to it. I suppose we do that a lot in the States. We just say it the way we want too and not the way it was intended in its native tongue. Oh well, its a gorgeous place of horse fencing, horses leisurely grazing and flicking their tails often with young ones mimicking the activity and if you’re lucky, romping around with their heads held high and a prance in their gate. Slightly rolling green grounds with the infamous Blue Grass that many believe is the key to their long history of horse success. People there are not “house poor” they are “horse poor”. There are horse people and non-horse people, but they all share in their love of UK BASKETBALL! That’s University of Kentucky. I went to a memorable game once against North Carolina. It was fascinating to see the students and the community of Lexington in one of the most beautiful seas of blue I have ever seen known as “Kentucky Blue”. Whether it was the students or athletes in their tee shirts or the wealthy in their beautiful shawls, sweaters, suit jackets, or dresses. It was quite a sight. Oh yeah… they won in overtime and the place was rockin!
I have written of Rosehaven before, and my dear friend Paula. I visit her annually. Her parents, took my parents, under their wing in the military, when my parents were newlyweds. The little Settee you see in this photo was my mother’s “first couch”. Paula’s parents took pity on my Mom & Dad and loaned them some of their beautiful antique furniture in storage to use in their sparse living quarters. It was a lifelong friendship that has now continued to the next generation with Paula and I becoming very close friends. I cherish it beyond words. Its a connection to both our pasts.
Since we have little time, as usual, we will be making the drive straight through. Taking turns sleeping in the back seat while the other drives. Once we arrive at Rosehaven we will be only 10 hours or so from Montana’s living quarters and so while it will be a very short visit, we hope to have a little time for Paula and Montana to reconnect. They haven’t seen each other since Montana started High School. Paula is anxious to see her, as she is “all grown up” now. Montana always loved romping with her Jack Russell’s.
Maryland to Florida
From there (Maryland), I will meet up with Hudson and fly down to Florida (Tampa). We will gather up his things at Dave’s parents and drive 6 hours to the S. Miami area and get him set up in his apartment. He starts work on September 7th. He refers to himself as getting into the “REAL WORLD!”. Indeed, he will. I hope for him, that he enjoys his off time, and engages in all the wonderful things that area provides. His territories will include, S. Miami, the Keys, Bahamas and Puerto Rico. Sounds tough to take, doesn’t it?
From there, I will fly back to Sacramento and collapse for a few days (at least!)
In any case, I’m not sure how much blogging I’ll be able to do in the next couple of weeks and just wanted to give you a heads up on that.
I have been enjoying my writings and musings here and I’m happy to have many visitors. I will miss it while I’m gone. I will try to blog while I’m on the road, but my focus will be the children, which continues to feel really, really good!
The “gathering” for Hudson of neighbors, friends and Dave’s co-workers was much appreciated by Hudson. He was so polished, getting up from his conversations to introduce himself to someone new who came in. He enjoyed the congratulations and inquiries into his new job and his experience at Disney this summer.
The Front Yard rehabilitated
He was overwhelmed with accolades on the transformation of my front yard and asked to stay longer and do everyone in the court where we live. I now have very hot pink crape myrtles, purple wisteria tree (yes, they have figured out how to make the vine into a tree!), small flowering shrubs for the hummingbirds, plant baskets hanging from the house, a tropical pygmy palm tree with river rock and grasses (Dave was dying for a palm and I wanted to ditch the sycamore tree – so Hudson brokered the deal), pink oleander and topiary roses. I have orders to plant six peace lilies in the alcove. I have a new cool hose and watering wand to take care of them. (definitely click to enlarge, a couple of times!) Dave was so happy and we are both very proud.
Montana and Rusty arrived from SoCal at 6 am in the morning on Saturday. I was a bit sleep deprived yesterday as I was up at 4 am checking on their progress. We all hung out yesterday and today we all head out for a day of swimming in the mountains. Hoping for a hot, sunny day! Then tomorrow morning, Montana and I head on the road after she gets her hair done, Rusty flies back south, Tuesday Hudson heads out and Wednesday Hett heads to her new digs on the coast.
Ciao for now!
“The capacity for hope is the most significant fact of life. It provides human beings with a sense of destination and the energy to get started.” – Norman Cousins
