So Long Ordinary

Last night was a night I won't soon forget.  It was special - a celebration of 47 years together for my parents.  These two.  They've been through an awful lot.  But here they stand, 47 years later, still in love - probably more in love than they were way back when, right before they moved to Savannah, not long before he headed out to war while Mom stayed back in Kansas and waited.   Last night, it was just the four of us, around a small table at a rickety steak house in a little mountain town up the road. With brief flurries of snow falling outside, warm, twinkly lights inside, and the constant flow of decaf coffee delivered by a slow and careful waitress, we laughed and joked and ate and remembered.    The four of us.  We've been through an awful lot.  We've added to our numbers - husbands and five little girls, each of them a treasure - but for just one night it was the four of us again, and I was taken back to when I was a kid, and we all went out together for anniv

Whew!  I can't believe we've been in the States for just over 3 weeks already.  We've been so busy catching up with loved ones; adjusting to colder temperatures, higher altitudes, and time differences; soaking in the peace and quiet; shopping, shopping, and shopping; savoring the farm life; and eating Mexican food! First of all.  I want to say, "Whoa, America, your stores are impressive!"  Oh. My. Word.  And your manners!  Your, um, clothing choices!  Your hairstyles!  Your really nice big wide roads!  And your dairy sections, America!  Your Delightful Dairy Departments.  Sigh.  So, as the reverse culture shock works it's magic on my senses, I'll just let you get a little glimpse of the things we have been doing and enjoying these past few weeks. (These are just a small sampling, we've been terrible at actually using the camera, even on our iPhones!) Traveling...I think this was in Tokyo.   We visited  Cabela's in Boise three times in our week in