If you would have told me two weeks ago that I would soon be sitting on a plane bound for Kentucky I would have told you you were nuts. But, here I am miles above riding in the clouds. I love living in California but I sure do miss my home state of Kentucky. In the last 12 years I think I have been to Kentucky 6 times. Twice for my brothers trial, once for my dads funeral, once with Morgan pre-kids, once for Avries first birthday and lastly and most recently I flew out with the girls about 2 years ago. When you move away from a place you knew for the first 21 years of your life there is a lot to miss. Of course I miss my friends and family but there are a lot of little things that you take for granted when you live somewhere else.
Take for example restaurants you are accustomed to, even fast food joints. Move 2500 miles away and a lot of those restaurants you will never see again. How would you feel if you woke up one morning and there was no In-N-Out, no Dinuccis, no Cattlemans, no "insert your fav Nor-Cal Restaraunt"? I bet you would suddenly start craving these restaurants all day every day. You may even find yourself trying to recreate famous items from these places to no avail. I know that's what I do. I'm not so sure if it's the food we crave or the memories we made at these places. For me these restaurants include Cracker Barrel (I worked here one summer, it was the WORST job ever), White Castle (the place my brother and I would always go to after he changed my cars oil), Long John Silvers ( where my grandparents would take me when it was my turn to spend the night on Saturdays), Marks Feed Store (where I used my very first credit card for the very first time) & Sonic (reminds me of mom & the house on Arcade where many memories were made). And yes- I fully intend to eat at at least four of these places over the next week. It's the little things after all.
The very worst feeling I have ever experienced in my life and continue to feel was caused by the death of my dad. This feeling is only heightened by the fact that his final resting place is in Kentucky. So many days go by that I just wish I could visit him, put a flower on his grave, just sit and have a moment and be in his presence even if his presence is a grave stone. This would be one minor comfort that would help ease hard days. Now, because of this trip I will get to visit him, if only long enough to leave a picture and flowers. Just to be reminded he did exist and to see more of him than a memory.
My mom lived in several different places in Kentucky when I was growing up. In each place I have special memories, most of which make me laugh these days. There was the place in Lebanon Junction where the neighbors cat got chopped up in our air conditioner. Ok- that doesn't sound funny. When it happened my brother and I conspired that we were so traumatized by what we saw we needed to stay home from school that day. Then there was the famous snake in my bedroom incident nobody believed me but there it was. If I remember correctly my brother first tried to kill it with his bb gun and when that didn't work a shovel got involved. I remember getting lice for the first time when we lived here. My mom didn't want to embarrass me by telling me so she went out and got me a Land Before Time Ducky puppet and I played with it in the bathroom while she "fixed" my hair. It's funny the things you remember. My dad never left the house that he and my mom shared when they were married. I had the same bedroom when I was born as I had when I my dad died and the house was sold. So so many memories there. It will be nice to drive by there, see what it is now and be reminded what it was then. I'm always jealous of Morgan how he gets to drive by his childhood home anytime he wants.
Four words- Brays Peach Ice Cream. Everybody in the town I grew up in knows Brays. Brays is an orchard, a fruit stand, a place that makes the best ice cream. When I was a kid my brother would sneak and ride his four wheeler there to buy us each a grape soda. When I got older my first job was at Brays. I started out scooping ice cream, then I got to help make the ice cream then I got to work at a cash register. I love that place. Its just one of those places that makes me feel home. I can't wait to see how it's changed and how it's exactly the same.
I'm still sort of in disbelief that I'm heading home for a few days. I must say I do have this overwhelming feeling I'm forgetting something. Probably because I am all alone. This is the longest I've ever been away from my kids but I think this little break will only give them a better, more patient mommy when I return. I can't wait to see my mom, my step dad, my aunts, uncles and cousins. I can't wait to smell the scent of Kentucky, see the giant Pegasus at the airport and start hearing the slight southern accent I grew up. Mostly, I can't wait for all the little things.
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