I ventured back to Buda by myself this past weekend (after Jane went last weekend). It was a somewhat unexpected trip. My mom's brother's wife passed away last week, and the funeral was Saturday. So I went to Buda Friday, and then on to Rushville, Illinois - where the funeral was - on Saturday. I came back home Sunday. Nearly 800 miles.
I intended to drive my mom down for the funeral and visitation, as it's about a 2 1/2 hour drive from Buda to Rushville. However, since I had to work Friday morning, I couldn't make it from Fort Wayne to Buda before she wanted to leave. So she drove herself down Friday and spent the night with one of her sisters. I then came by myself on Saturday morning for the 10 am funeral.
Over the years I traveled the route(s) from Buda to Rushville many times. There are a variety of ways to go, but mostly it is down route 78 and 24. I recognized most of the scenery as I passed it, but I don't think I would have remembered how to get there without my phone (gps). I jotted down the above few words while trying to drive. It seemed better at the time, but... well... it is what it is. I had a good time reminiscing nonetheless.
The funeral service was nice. Two lady pastors spoke. They both knew the family. I visited with some of my cousins and aunts I haven't seen in eons. When we left to go to the cemetery, I rode with my aunt, her daughter (who drove), my mom, and another cousin. It was about 20 miles from Rushville to the cemetery in rural Brooklyn. It wasn't very far from where my mom grew up - way out in the boonies on Indian Reservation Road. Apparently there is still an Indian Reservation there(?), further down the 'dead end' part.
During the service at the cemetery this sweet little Blue Healer came wandering up to us while the minister was speaking. The dog calmly went from person to person and was just... present. It didn't jump, bark or run. It was somewhat surreal. It was like the dog was there to comfort the mourners. Which was also ironic because my aunt and uncle were avid dog lovers. So that was kind of neat.
Following the committal service we took a gravel road by where my mom grew up, and there was this HUGE hill we had to go down and then up. When we got to the top of the hill where it met the main road again, my aunts Chevy Traverse started acting weird. It wouldn't go. The engine would rev, but it was like it was out of gear. It turns out she had just had a new transmission put in the 2-year-old car less than a month ago. So, here we are, stuck alongside the road 20 miles from civilization, in our funeral clothes. Fortunately there were quite a few friends and relatives still coming from the cemetery. Several of them pulled off to check out the car.
One of my cousins knew a mechanic who lived just down the road, so I waited with him until the mechanic arrived and all the women that had been in the vehicle got a ride back to town. The mechanic shows up, started the car, and drove it down the road and back. It ran just fine! He looked it over and couldn't fine anything wrong, so we decided I would just drive it back to town and we would try to take it to the dealership there. It ran fine the whole way. (We found out later that the computer needed reset, and the way to reset it is: shut it off, open all the doors, close the doors, and restart it. Ha!)
So, after all that, we finally all made it to the funeral dinner at the church - which was 10 miles from town the OTHER direction. I visited with some more cousins and other relatives (or at least pretended to as I sat there awkwardly), had lunch, and then headed back to Buda. My mom came a little later.
I took a route home that was different from how I got there. It drove along the Illinois River for a ways. I did not like driving in the valley. Not only did it seem a little eerie with all the water around, but it was soooo desolate. I didn't like that.
Once I got back to my mom's house I worked on putting a new doorknob on her front door. She couldn't find the keys to the front door, and thought she only had one key for the back door. I had some more keys made, installed the new knob on the front, and so now she should be set with keys and locks and whatnot.
Sunday morning I left pretty early (8-ish). I felt bad leaving - at one point mom asked if I wasn't going to stay and watch the Super Bowl with her. My nerves were pretty frazzled though. They have been for some time, actually. I'm not entirely sure why, but I could really use a stay-cation. I've been saying this for awhile, and things keep coming up. For having such an easy life, I sure seem stressed out. I have a feeling something is going to give pretty soon. Anyway, I drove home in 4 1/2 hours, and was pretty much toast the rest of the night.
I did watch the first half of the Super Bowl at home, then went to bed. My week would start again at 3:50 am, and it seems there's no rest for the remainder of the week. Ugh.
Since this is long anyway... this week I start physical therapy on my ankle, I have a doctors appointment (still trying to get my blood pressure under control), I need to go over vacation plans with Jane, swimming lessons, try to work out, worry about my parents more, put up with my boss, deal with new stuff at work (which we've received barely any info on, let alone training), fret about my own health problems... and try not to have another nervous breakdown or a heart attack. Ugh. I need a break. I'm not really even sure what I need a break from. But if anybody has one they could give me... I think I'd take it.
The end.
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