Once again Clair was Leavin’ On A Jet Plane. It was a good visit but after 2 ½ months back in the states the Ice is once again calling her name and she must answer (because she signed a contract to do).
She seems to enjoy her job in Antarctica as Solid Waste Manager, which includes Haz Mat control, and as Fire Marshal.
She hasn’t seen a summer season in a few years as she spends her winter on the Ice and then heads back to KY during our winter season. Crazy woman! I don’t know if I could go without seeing spring wildflowers for that long.
It was great to have her home if only for a bit. We’ll miss her. The dog will miss her. But it does a parent good to see their child doing what makes them happy – however crazy it might seem.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Thursday, March 17, 2011
There and back again - again
The weekend road trip started with Clair’s friend Neal from CO arriving here on Wednesday. After an afternoon of Neal meeting most of the immediate family it was an early to bed evening. We headed out about 6:00 a.m. (late start due to Clair fixing her famous oatmeal). Clair’s and my destination was the PA/NJ boarder, Neal was headed to NH. It just so happened that Google maps took him past Covington and past my favorite spot in all of PA, Judy’s house. (Judy = wonderful sister-in-law and aunt.)
10 hours after pulling out of Covington we pulled in to Bangor, PA. Neal spent the night there and moved on the next morning. The trip was chilly, rainy.
It was good to see Judy, Len and Justin. The next five days were spent talking, eating, sleeping, knitting, reading, hiking, riding in the car – to the liquor store, to the bakery shop, to the state park, to the gas station, to the bank, to the grocery store, to the drug store….
…And to the farm where we visited with Smadar and Mike, saw Samson and Hannah from last year, met the new guy James, gathered eggs, washed the eggs, watered the chickens, took care of the chicken who met his demise at the hands of a hawk, hiked to the pond, weeded, watered, planted, shucked beans, sorted beans, bagged beans, ground corn, bagged corn meal, helped get ready for distribution day, helped prepare for a mailing.
The biggest disappointment of the trip was to find out that The Run Way Café was closed for the month of March. Darn! That is my second favorite place in NJ next to the farm. It is a place where you can go, have a greasy lunch and watch planes and gliders come and go – if you’re lucky. And you can go in your farm clothes, the muddy, really dirty ones. And you can go without worrying about your hair and make-up (not that I normally do – worry about it). On the up side we had some great food by way of home cooking – home made tomato soup, corn casserole, C lair’s oatmeal, coconut milk based chicken dish, somosas.
It is always a good to visit the farm, to work in the dirt, to walk the hills. It be with people who are so well grounded. It is always hard to say goodbye to Judy and her family.
The trip end with the long ride home - rainy once again.
10 hours after pulling out of Covington we pulled in to Bangor, PA. Neal spent the night there and moved on the next morning. The trip was chilly, rainy.
It was good to see Judy, Len and Justin. The next five days were spent talking, eating, sleeping, knitting, reading, hiking, riding in the car – to the liquor store, to the bakery shop, to the state park, to the gas station, to the bank, to the grocery store, to the drug store….
…And to the farm where we visited with Smadar and Mike, saw Samson and Hannah from last year, met the new guy James, gathered eggs, washed the eggs, watered the chickens, took care of the chicken who met his demise at the hands of a hawk, hiked to the pond, weeded, watered, planted, shucked beans, sorted beans, bagged beans, ground corn, bagged corn meal, helped get ready for distribution day, helped prepare for a mailing.
The biggest disappointment of the trip was to find out that The Run Way Café was closed for the month of March. Darn! That is my second favorite place in NJ next to the farm. It is a place where you can go, have a greasy lunch and watch planes and gliders come and go – if you’re lucky. And you can go in your farm clothes, the muddy, really dirty ones. And you can go without worrying about your hair and make-up (not that I normally do – worry about it). On the up side we had some great food by way of home cooking – home made tomato soup, corn casserole, C lair’s oatmeal, coconut milk based chicken dish, somosas.
It is always a good to visit the farm, to work in the dirt, to walk the hills. It be with people who are so well grounded. It is always hard to say goodbye to Judy and her family.
The trip end with the long ride home - rainy once again.
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