R-U-N-N-O-F-T

Today I'm linking up with Chatting at the Sky, unwrapping and celebrating another gift.

Yesterday was a belated celebration of Ethel day, she having reached a significant (ahem) birthday milestone last week.

We drove to some of our favorite places in Vermont (or, Furr-mont as my children used to call it when they were little), picked up food from our favorite country deli, remembered some of our previous trips to the area, got caught up on each other's lives, and laughed ourselves silly.  Ethel wore her birthday crown.

In the midst of the fun, I was surprised by a few moments of melancholy.  The places we visited were brimming with memories. As a brand-new New England bride, I had spent part of my honeymoon in this area in southern Vermont.  The beloved Swede and I enjoyed many family vacations there when our children (and we) were young.  While walking familiar streets, I felt my heart tugged by the reality of how quickly the years had flown.

But the memories, for the most part, were sweet ones.  Some of my favorites:

• The way my kids used to call route 9 the snake road because of the way it twists and turns its way up Hogback Mountain
• Taking a picture of the sign in front of the local laundromat because it read: Bucket-O-Suds. Clean Clothes. Good Gossip.  I keep this picture in my laundry room.
• Seeing blooming lupine.  I really like saying, "blooming lupine."

• Seeing the Moo-ver, the local transit bus.  It's painted to look like a cow.  One of my firm convictions in life (having to do with my love of all things Christmas) is this:  In general, things with jingle bells are better than things without them.  A corollary:  In general, things with polka-dots are better than things without them.  I think I need to add a second corollary which is this:

In general, things painted to look like cows are funnier than things that aren't.

(Ethel and I drove past the Moo-ver on our trip, but we weren't able to stop and get a picture.  This will have to do.)
• Remembering the year our son got sick in the car during the drive and we had to do laundry at the little house where we were staying. Not realizing that we had washed and left his Curious George behind until we arrived the following summer and found him waiting for us.
• Hiking to the top of the fire tower at Molly Stark State Park.
• Packing a picnic lunch and driving down to Shelburne Falls, Massachusettes, to see the Bridge of Flowers. Sitting on benches on the bridge, trying to eat our sandwiches, and getting chased away by bees.
• Having one of my last conversations with my dad from the pay phone on the corner in Wilmington, VT.

 It's hard to put my finger on which precise gift I'm unwrapping today, because yesterday delivered so many--a day away with a good friend, good food, and much laughter.  Just getting to see the Moo-ver again is a gift in itself.  If I had to single out one particular gift, though, I think it would have to be the gift of memories.  Though sometimes they surface unexpectedly, bringing with them tears of longing or regret, I think it's far better to have them than not.

And it's always good to make new ones.  Especially when there's a birthday crown involved.