My daughter found it humorous that retired people needed three months of planning to taka a four-day trip, but that seems to be the case since Bruce began serving as a county official. Obviously, only one of us is retired, but we did manage to run away from home recently to visit said daughter and her daughter’s family in Wyoming and Montana.
My granddaughter and her crew live in southeastern Montana where the ranches are spread far and interspersed with forest leases. We noted that the rural roads are better maintained there, although pretty twisty. No speed limit signs needed. It’s an hour to school one way, and bus service only covers the highway part, but no one is complaining because the people are friendly and work together. The women are paid when helping with ranch work and kids can keep 4H livestock. Most people have chickens and some still keep milk cows. You don’t see many ranch buildings along roads; most are tucked away in a draw along some creek. But in the fall, they have tent city because hunters move in on the forest.
We got to attend the annual Halloween party at the boss’s headquarters. Pot luck supper, trunk and treat, games for the kids, witches of all ages, butterflies, princesses, spacemen, a skunk, a bear, mama alligator with twin baby alligators, and even a tall Frankenstein. Conversations about shipping, pregnancy testing, and school events for the adults mingled with squeals from the youngsters who ran each other ragged. These are neighbors who know one another and celebrate their community. There are other gatherings in that shop during the year and I got the sense that folks in that neighborhood don’t need to run to town often for entertainment or spend much time in political discussion.
A priority in Sheridan, Wyoming is always shopping at King’s Saddlery. The woman who waited on us there was from Crawford, Nebraska. We spent an afternoon at the Brittan Museum and one display was by a native of Seneca. Home folks sure get around.
On the return trip, Bruce and I agreed that we had really needed the get-away. He is out and about a lot with various responsibilities, but I’m content to be a stay-at-home dog mom. Various family members have had or are scheduled to have, joint replacements, so winter will be a slowdown and holiday plans on hold. That’s ok, it’s time to reconsider priorities around that anyway. More about that later but, for now, take a deep breath and look around your neighborhood. Government shutdown or not, we don’t always need to be on the run.
Meet me here next week and meanwhile do your best. Somebody might like it.