2005/04 Deep South trip - Home |
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We had a fast trip up to Sioux City and across Iowa through farm country to the Minnesota border. Perhaps it was the sunny morning, or, more likely, the smell of spring’s muckspreading that hurried us along. We passed the Jolly Green Giant at Saint Peter and knew we were close to home. After all the states that had gasoline prices in the $2.10 to $2.40 range it was a surprise to see that Minnesota was still at around $1.95. The only other state in that range had been South Carolina.
I've included a composite picture here that shows some of the many flowers we saw on this trip. I thnk springtime must be the best time to visit this area: enough daylight, warm weather but not too hot, and this amazing display of flowers. Certainly, we enjoyed the trip, which began as a 3000 mile driving chore to get the Tiger fixed, and turned into a great vacation.
We met up with the kids at Bakers Square, and everyone seemed to be in good shape. The house was also OK, once we’d made our way through the car collection on the driveway. There seem to be more ailing vehicles than when we left. The sick list includes two of ours and two of Joanna’s. There seems to be a water pump virus going around. Joanna is driving Michael’s winter beater, and Christina is driving Sandie’s Mazda.
The neighbours across the road, the Greens, have sold their house and moved out. We’re tempted to use their driveway as a parking lot, but I suppose that isn’t the best way to start with the new neighbours. Our neighbour next door, Bev, is going through chaemotherapy, so she isn’t very well.
We had a couple of messages on the phone from Bob and from Elsie to say that Auntie Dee (Doreen) had died. She was Auntie Monica’s sister, the last survivor of that generation, and had made it into her nineties. She was a real character. I remember her talking about going rattlesnake hunting in the Alberta badlands.
We had a package from Maureen and Doug. They had been clearing out Uncle George (Walker)’s house and had sent us some photographs that they’d found of the family, including a picture from our grandparents’ wedding back in 1905. This is the only picture I’ve ever seen from that generation.
As I write, Minnesota is in the midst of an April heat wave, so we’re in the 80s, but it’s still early Spring so we have very few leaves on the trees yet. The trees are wise as there’s frost and snow in the forecast. Sandie is going back to work, and I’m fixing some of the remaining problems in the camper and getting the truck and trailer ready for the trip to Alaska in July.
Love from
Peter and Sandie