Tales BEFORE Thailand

Tales BEFORE Thailand…31 days of appreciating time with family and friends in the beautiful and varied United States of America!  Fourteen states and the District of Columbia, plus more than 4200 miles on our rental car, did not compare to countless happy thoughts and blissful moments.

Warmth of family (and climate) in St. Louis as we celebrated a beautiful couple and new family member!

Comfortable hilarity and quality time with friends in Muskegon, Michigan.

The enveloping energy of our nieces and nephews in Alexandria, Virginia made nap time a requirement for adults as well as children.

A few days of packing, while simultaneously questioning the practice of the accumulation of items, tools, and objects.  During breaks from packing, I was still soaking up all things good in Philly—brunch with friends, belated birthday celebrations with yummy cupcakes, finding my very own building (my husband jokes that I am a rather unoriginal graffiti artist), tea with cream and sugar from DD, an indulgent meal from yet another amazing Philly restaurant, and a few cherished moments in our community garden.

Next stop verdant Vermont, celebrating good friends and the approach of our new endeavors in Thailand.  Intense rain reminded me to buy a raincoat for Bangkok, yet the rain was compassionate enough to pause for long morning walks and picturesque afternoon adventures in the North Hollow. 

Scenic drive through majestic purple mountains en route to Pennsylvania made a two-hour detour a minor blip (plus the impeccable quality of the company didn’t hurt).

Pittsburgh and the 4^th of July meant fun times with a dynamic four- and three-year-old duo!  Safe snaps, pretty flowers, and our own dizzy fireworks meant guaranteed good times.

Downtown Chicago was a wonderful setting to celebrate six years of wedded bliss—with bright sun, blue waters of Lake Michigan, and a break from driving.  Meals and stories with our Chi-town VIPs.

Detour while driving north, en route to Two Rivers, Wisconsin, for my favorite flavor of summer in the form of two burgers with butter on hard rolls and a glass mug of root beer from Chester’s Drive-In.  Then onward to two deck rummy games, The Price is Right, extended family dinners, and a baseball game on a summer night.

Next stop—my happy place—Wolf  Lake, where the morning calm reflects the image of the length of the lake, broken only by jumping fish.  A lake so aptly sized that you can water ski and yet when the sound of thunder certified that the shifting wind actually was bringing a storm, our full speed forward pedal in the paddle boat got us back, from across the lake, before the rain started.  Cribbage contests, games of hand and foot with my favorite partner, and Merkts sharp cheese on Ritz crackers reminded me that some of my tastes haven’t changed in decades.

Then westward to Wonewoc, for a bittersweet final visit to “the little farm,” my husband’s happy place.  Swinging on the barn rope, gathering wildflowers, star gazing, and climbing our wise tree were physical rememberings of favorite farm activities, memories that will remain vivid for years to come, even after the farm has a new family with their own memories.

Webster Groves meant a bit of a drive, which was more than worth the travel to be able to take a glowing bride-to-be and wonderful sister out for a spin on a 14 person, pedal-powered trolley.   More quality time with family and friends ensure that old stories were retold and new stories were enacted.  We bid good-bye to our faithful rental car, gave lots of tight hugs, and departed, this time for a new destination—Seattle. 

By the time we reached our hotel, this quirky city had already won me over with its love of reading and hills I mistakenly thought only existed in San Francisco.  The natural beauty of Puget Sound, two mountain chains, and incredible islands erased any chills I might have felt sitting on the top deck of the ferry…and a great book didn’t hurt.  Friday Harbor welcomed us with incredible sun and spectacular views.  Serendipitously, the bike shop had a tandem (with gears) available for rent.  So we set out, to explore a lavender farm and to take in the sights at an amazing park (the beautiful ocean, birds and a seal, a weathered light house, and across the invisible border to Canadian mountains).  On the way back we found a few more hills too.  Then whale watching, which felt more like whale-studying, as three Orca whales traveled back and forth along the shoreline while we gawked at their size and grace with kayakers, small boats—leaning as their passengers gathered on the same side—and research boats manned with scientists—both human and canine.  The next day back in Seattle we ate our way through delicious Pike Place Market as the sun triumphed over the clouds again.  We were back on bikes (separate bikes this time) with directions to a town filled with wineries via the Burke-Gilman trail with the incredible backdrop of Lake Washington for much of our ride.  We found wineries so close we were parking the bikes less than two minutes after departing from our previous stop.  We also found a delicious bottle for our fantastic hosts.  Before departure our friend convinced us that the Seattle restaurant scene is nearly as delicious and exciting as Philadelphia.

Back home to Philly for just over 48 hours.  Errands and regular routines were made extra enjoyable by the proximity of departure.  Hours filled with incredible friends leave me emboldened for a new adventure and even more certain of the city of brotherly love to which we will return.

Next stop, Bangkok, Thailand!