 |
| My parent's house, where I grew up. |
We spent New Year's Eve weekend back home in Buda this year. It was just the two of us and my parents. It was nice to get away and was actually a pretty relaxing time.
We left Saturday morning (Dec. 31) and arrived early afternoon in the old hometown. It was weird, because on the way there I really didn't feel any connection to the place at all. I've only been back once or twice all year, and it just didn't seem like home anymore.
My parents got us NYE dinner reservations at this fancy place in Sheffield. We had to choose from either 4:30 or 8:30, so luckily my mom opted for the 4:30. At least it was 5:30 our time. It was really good food - though I just found out after we arrived back in FW that the place announced they are closing their doors next weekend. Glad we went.
After supper we went back to my parents house and played dominoes. It's one of the favorite past-times at my mom's. My dad can't see the dominoes or remember what to do so mom helps him - at least until he gets mad. Games always take several hours, so we did that until about 9 pm and then visited with our old friends Kevin & Teresa. They've lived in Nepal for the last 20 years or so and just recently bought a house back home and redid it. It was the first time I'd ever seen it. It was very cool, and it was kind of nice to catch up with them. They are actually the people who discipled us into the faith oh so many years ago. We arrived back at my parents house just after 11 pm their time. We figured it was after midnight at our house, so we called it a night.
Sunday we went to church with my parents. It starts at 9 am, which is way early for us anymore. It had been quite awhile since we'd been to church there. A lot of people were gone, and that wasn't necessarily a bad thing. It went okay, but we always forget that people still "do" church like this. It all seems very "proper" - even though the staff all wear blue jeans, dress shirts (tucked in) and neckties. They spend a tone of money on decorations and carpet, pews, etc. They're very nice and good people, but it just seems so foreign anymore. Church for us has become pretty chaotic and disorganized - in a liturgical kind of way. Anyway, after church we chatted with several people - Mark, Shelley, Ashley & Bud, Tom & Reva, etc., etc., etc. Then we went back to my parents and had lunch. We watched football and napped in the afternoon (at least my dad and I did).
Sunday night we went out to Jane's brother Mark's house and we had supper with Mark, Christine, and Waylon (I think that was his name). We visited for some time, checked out Mark's latest housing remodel, and downed a bottle of Cabernet. We then went back to the parent's and went to bed.
This morning is a "coffee morning" for my mom. Their church owns a building in downtown Buda and they open it for area folks to come and drink coffee and chit chat. My parents are actually some of the only church people who attend, but it's nice for so many other area people who either attend other churches or don't at all. There is really no place else for them to get together. So my mom is kind of the coffee maker and she opens and closes the place. I think they are allowed to use it twice a week. Well, Jane went down to visit with people. Her brother John usually goes, and Mark went this day. I wasn't planning to go - you know how I am with small-talk and whatnot - but I ended up having to go later on.
My dad has apparently still been driving some - just in town. I didn't think he was at all anymore. I guess he usually goes to Caseys and then to coffee. He told me he was leaving, and a minute later he has the car around front but he's coming in the house. He mumbled something about a cup or something. Then he leaves again and I watched him out the window. He pulls out and, right in front of their house, goes in the ditch across the road! He crept along and got back on the road, but when he came to the "T" intersection he pulled right out into it and I thought he was going to go in the ditch at the end of the street. He finally turned, sat in the wrong lane for awhile, then backed up and pulled back in front of the house. I was already putting my coat and shoes on to go out and get him, but he came in and actually admitted he just couldn't see to drive. So I offered to take him down to coffee. It was awkward, my dad and I don't usually have conversations; and he definitely never listens or asks advice from me. I tried to say as nicely as I could that maybe it was time to put this driving thing to rest. I honestly can't remember the rest of the conversation but it was different than any we'd ever had before. I just hope he remembers what happened. Anyway, when we got back home I told mom about it and suggested she hide his car keys. I really hope this is it.
So.... after all that.... we took off for home in Fort Wayne. It rained off and on but we still made good time. It took us 4 hrs. 15 minutes both going and coming home. Traffic was really good on the way there. It was a little heavier today but at least we never had to stop for anything other than one potty break and to get something to eat.
It's interesting, because when we left to go there I really had no feelings of attachment or desire to return at all. On the way back, I had some strange thoughts running through my mind. Anyway, it was a good few days. Since we've been back to our house in FW we've been putting Christmas decorations away and throwing away/sorting stuff in the basement. Tomorrow it's back to the real world.
