I spent the morning with Alex in Milford, CT. We walked down to the ocean, sparkling in Long Island Sound, a wonderful sight after being away from the coast for so long. We collected feathers and sea glass to decorate his turkey feather for preschool.
In the afternoon Sam and I joined the kids at a school assembly honoring veterans. The students (preschool to second grade) belted out patriotic songs as a tribute to the veterans and soldiers invited to the event. Their enthusiasm was contagious. The audience and the veterans—fathers, grandfathers, and friends of the students—all smiled broadly at the young performers’ earnestness. As the principal called each veteran’s name, the audience applauded with real gratitude for their service. It reminded me that I have duties to fulfill for Maine veterans when I return.
Arrived home a little before 8 pm with John’s chicken (see Day 9). I found it in a little pawn shop in Santa Fe. Not quite the spectacular chicken of NOLA, but it fit in the car (unlike the showier NOLA version). Note the metal work. And John’s grin.
It’s good to be home!
Some of my favorite things on this long odyssey:
Having Chala tell me, when she signed out to go to lunch with me, “I’m putting you down as family.”
Hearing David’s story about Katrina and a community’s emotional outpouring of grief during Bruce Springsteen’s rendition of “Mary, Don’t You Weep.”
Eating po’boys. Eating bread pudding. Eating runzas. Eating roast lamb. Eating chicken soup and home-cooked biscuits. Eating salmon and zucchini chocolate cake. Eating beignets. Eating gumbo. Eating ribs. Eating real Mexican cuisine. Eating, eating, eating.
Listening and dancing to real foot-stomping, partner-twirling, rhythm-blasting Cajun music.
Listening to jazz and blues and rock and country and Cajun and zydeco and just plain good music on every street corner, park, and square.
Viewing a surprising display at the aSHEville Museum.
Seeing friends I haven’t seen for many years.
Hearing people’s stories and sharing my own.
Meeting new friends.
Riding the trolley and strolling through new neighborhoods.
Seeing elegant snowy egrets in ponds and on the side of the road.
Getting new hair color (or rather, my old color back again).
Seeing the spectacular panorama of mountains, forests, plains, lakes, rivers, fields, grasslands, farmlands, ocean, villages, towns, and cities all across the country.
Learning new things about old friends and sharing life stories with new friends.
Spending time with the grandkids and their parents.
Coming home and seeing John!