The Home Place

A note to Ford employees:  Ford China is closed on April 5th for Tomb Sweeping Day.

Being back home is like being able to go back into the womb after being born; everything is cozy, safe and familiar.  After being a "woman of leisure" for five months, taking care of this big ol' house rocked the boat of my pleasure cruise a bit.  It was a drastic change from trying to find something to do, to trying to decide what to do first.  I looked at all the stuff we have through new eyes, realizing how much we don't need.

My first priority, of course, was to see all the special people in my "womb" life.  A sister and her family drove in from Wisconsin for the Easter weekend, and we were able to have several of my siblings and their families for dinner that Saturday.  My sister who lives in Northern Michigan surprised us by driving down for the day, and my three "local" siblings came with their families.  It was the first time all four sisters had been together in a long time, and I was so appreciative of everyone's efforts to make the drive.

The following weekend we had Tim's brother and his wife staying with us from Indiana/Chicago.  Many of his siblings and their families gathered at his sister's farm for a delicious dinner.  Best of all, our son from LA was able to get home for a long weekend.  All was right with the world having all of our sons home, if only for a short time.  We were so grateful to be able to see so many of our family members.  Pardon the cliche', but that is what life is all about.

Down on the farm...

should be an album cover...

I enjoyed just showing up at the library unannounced to see the surprised reactions of my old co-workers and patrons.  I got such a warm welcome, and it was nice to see that things were pretty much business-as-usual.  Some of us were able to get together for dinner after they got off work, and it was like I'd never left.  I was "feeling the love," and felt so lucky to have these good friends.

I was also able to surprise my "besties" from the other library, with the help of my former supervisor. They had already planned an outing together, and the unbelieving looks on their faces when I appeared were priceless.  It was so, so wonderful to be able to hang out with good friends, and enjoy the bounty of American treats that I had not really been missing until they were suddenly available to me.  Sadly, I have quickly regained the weight I'd lost while we were in Thailand.  Somehow it feels worth it.  Kind of.

One of the greatest pleasures, besides seeing all those people I'd been missing, was to be able to see my beloved Detroit Tigers play at Comerica Park.  After that chilly homecoming, the weather gradually warmed, and we had a beautiful, sunny, warm afternoon at the ballpark.  The Tigers were in excellent form, with the amazing David Price on the mound and a fantastic walkoff in the bottom of the ninth.  Couldn't have scripted it any better.

I was able to stock up on some American-size sandals and such with a trip out to Tanger Outlet Mall. You can get pretty much everything in Thailand, but not necessarily in the "farang" sizes.  Found some Tigers t-shirts to bring back for Mick's wife and daughters.  Mick is getting that Manchester United jersey he has been wanting for a while.  Also hoping to bring back some Starbucks for Tim and a few household odds and ends.  I sent Tim back to Thailand with a tablecloth and a frying pan in his luggage.

Enjoyed spending some rare time with my youngest brother.  We usually see each other when we have a house full of people.  It was nice to have some one-on-one for a change.   Enjoyed lunch with my sister-in-law, just like we used to do "back in the day" when we both found ourselves with some free time.  I also enjoyed a nice dinner with an older brother and sister and their spouses.  I was definitely feeling a bit like a celebrity, being in such demand as a dinner companion!

Me and my Dad

My last weekend was spent driving to Indiana with my oldest son to visit my 90-year-old Dad and his wife.  I was so happy that my brothers from Virginia were able to come the same weekend, and my sweet niece and partner joined us as well.  We enjoyed the short time we had together, catching up on each others' lives and playing the requisite board games.  It was hard to see my Dad struggling to get by, but it was good that we could spend some time together.  Two of my boys surprised me with a nice early Mother's Day celebration when we got back to Michigan.  Don't know what I did to deserve such a wonderful family, for whom I am so thankful.

the big Chinese Checkers game

My final days were spent trying to prioritize what I could get done before heading back.  I got to do some housework, but much more is left to be done - alas.

That pond that was frozen when we arrived at the end of March was beginning to see some spring activity when I left.  Geese, ducks, cranes and herons - nice to know the circle of life continues...