Dupont, Locust and Brothers

Ryan and Maya

I didn't even know Dupont had a park!  Apparently right down the road-ish from my home is a lovely hiking area.  Ryan filled me in.  Maya, Sean, Patsy, Ryan and I all met at Dean's Deli (yum! they make the best sandwiches and deviled eggs).  We then piled into Ryan's truck and went for a lovely hike to Triple Falls at Dupont State Park.  Ryan does a killer Bear Gryls impression - the things you learn about your siblings.  I also learned that Reagan is brilliant at recounting his gruesome motorcross injuries.  We are talking details!  It was a great day, beautiful weather and few people. 

 

Triple Falls

We also drove to Locust, NC to visit my good friend, Roxanne and her family.  I am lucky to have some great friends that no matter how long it has been since I have seen them it still seems like we just parted last week.    That being said, it was Locust so there were urine bombs and guns involved in the day <grin>.  It is The South, after all.




Finally, we kept an old family tradition of hitting Piggy's and Harry's on Saturday nights.  Yummy pulled pork sandwiches and fab ice cream.  All of us plus Patsy's husband, Vern.  It looks the same as when we used to come here when I was a kid - Maya's age actually.  It was, again, a moment of culture shock for my girl.  I get such joy she brings to me with her reactions.
 



The front of Piggy's and Harry's.  Hooterville is Hendersonville's nickname.

 

 On a different note, my mom has been gone for four years now.  I thought I had grieved but apparently I wasn't done.  I have become accustomed to not getting her calls (sort of), not automatically calling her with every little bit of the minutea of my life (sort of), reading a passage in a book and her getting immediately why it was important (sort of).  It has been over a thousand days and well over a thousand moments - I have adjusted, sort of. 
In truth, in NC during the day, hanging out with my kids and seeing friends and family was fun and joyful.  But at night after the kids crashed, I cried - a lot.  I don't think my dad quite knew what to do with me - except to offer to cook me cheesetoast and provide as much Cheerwine as I could take in.  God love him, he did great.  Being home at the house without Mom was more difficult that I had anticipated.  It was my first extended visit home.  My mom's passion was her house and not having her there to show me all the new projects she had been working on since I had last visited and having a stack of articles and magazines she had saved for me to read by my bed was a difficult reality.  We always had our favorite shops and eats.  I went alone to those trying to keep my promise to live for us both.  I would see, do, hear, love, laugh, sing, learn, live for us both is what I told her.  I tried but it was sad and lonely.  When someone dies, no matter how hard you try, parts of you dies with them.   So, in NC, I officially buried that part of me that died with her.    And that was as it should be, but I miss my mom and I miss the girl I once was with her.

Ireland begins next post.
I swear.