So I've mentioned we spent the week before Christmas down in Florida, doing some visiting. I hadn't been that far south in four years, and hadn't been to Florida itself in close to three. It was overdue, I think.
We left a couple Fridays ago, spending the night in Daytona Beach on the way down, then going the rest of the way the next morning. When we hit the Florida line, it didn't take long for me to remember how I-95 through Florida has mostly this sun-bleached, worn look. Many stretches of it look exactly the same as it did when I moved there almost a dozen years ago, but those stretches are becoming fewer and fewer. Development has taken root in once-forsaken places, and you're seeing civilization in places that were once deserted. It was interesting hearing hubby, whose family moved to Florida in the early '70s, compare how it is today to how it was in the '70s and '80s. It ain't the same, not at all.
By the time we were in Broward County, my memories of the place had come flooding back. There was a little nostalgia as I saw familiar places, but there were also definite reminders of why I left and didn't look back. So much I saw, I didn't miss. I didn't miss the traffic, the crowdedness, the development, you name it.
We got to where hubby's mother lives, and from then on, we were taken care of. We didn't want for anything the length of our stay, and that was nice. She made sure we had plenty to eat, and we spent a lot of time visiting. I'd brought a lot of work with me to get done, and a couple books to read, expecting the time to be sort of slow. As it happened, I had to pull myself away at a couple points so I could get my work done. It was indeed a pleasant visit. The weather was very nice the whole stay, only getting bothersome the night before we left, when it got humid. The rest of the time, it was lovely blue skies and mid-70s.
Not all our time was spent there. A couple days, we went out and explored. Hubby went looking for the places he grew up and showed me other places he remembered. We drove around the local airports, watching airplanes and seeing what had changed. We visited the hobby shops, finding one had changed drastically since our last visit and the other as remembered. And we made the all-important pilgrimage here. And it was good. Very good. If there's one material thing I mourn every time we have to leave South Florida, it's that we have to leave that place behind. That's how good it is.
Thursday of last week, we loaded up and started the journey home. We reached Daytona Beach early afternoon, had some lunch, and then spent a couple hours cruising around town seeing what's changed. In some ways, this stop on the way home was the most fun. Hubby was in the midst of the most time off work he'd had in a while, and he was in very good spirits, happily exploring a town he knew well and telling me tales from his days there. He was happy and I was happy, and I was reminded how much I love having him. It was one of the most blissful things I've enjoyed in a while. We retired to our hotel room and spent the evening watching television and finishing off the baked goods his mother sent home with us. (Tough job, but someone's gotta do it.)
Next morning we woke up and completed the journey home. I'd had a great time, much better than anticipated, but it sure felt good to get home. The mighty tiger and the mountain lion were happy to see us. Though my folks had come over to look in on them at about our trip's midpoint, both feline critters were starved for affection. Before we even got near the door, we could hear their meows...uh, I mean, "roars" even in the garage. We couldn't unload the truck all at once because we had to come inside and let them love on us for a little bit. They spent the rest of the evening being very clingy. It's nice to be wanted.
After the week's travels it felt great to spend a night at home, in all the familiar comforts you leave behind, to go to sleep in your own bed and all that. Next morning was Christmas Eve, and hubby spent the whole day baking. I spent most of the day making sure the young and very inquisitive mountain lion stayed out of his way. Everything got done, and it was good.
Christmas day came. After exchanging cards and gifts, we got ready to drive over to see my family, and got there about lunchtime. After so many days of sweets, I wanted to sob when I was finally able to eat something salty and savory, as some things were in the spread my mother laid on. We did the gift-giving thing (and my nieces really cleaned up, for my parents really love to spoil their grandchildren), then spent some time over at my brother's. Then it was back home.
One more day with hubby at home. Monday was quiet, very nicely so. He'd enjoyed his time off and shed a lot of stress. I was happy to see him so laid-back, and it was a little sad to have to let him go back to work. But it's part of life.
The next day came, and he went back to work. I woke up, had a normal breakfast, did my normal morning routine, and then went off to do the errands that had gone undone for too long. No more sweets, no more unusual routines, none of that again for another year. In some ways, I'm glad to let it go, and there was a little bit of satisfaction in getting back to a normal routine and getting some things done that needed to be done. But I do have to say the last two weeks brought more unexpected enjoyment than I've had in a while, and I'm thankful.