homebound

My iPod seemed to be loaded with songs that talked to me. Even the radio spoke to me a bit; I think Bryan Adams had a premonition about me when he wrote "Run To You" (though, obviously, not ABOUT me, since I've never had relations with Bryan Adams, as far as I can remember). It's challenging listening to music with another person when that person doesn't know any of the music at all, except the crap on the radio only for the first or last 2 hours of a 5 hour trip (or 5 3/4 hour if you leave on a Friday afternoon of a long weekend).

Last weekend I went to visit my parents with my sister. My brother headed down as well, so it was a mini family reunion. We all get together only a few times a year. This is the first time I've had a long weekend off in the summer in ages; it just never happens. With my parents' trip to the Holy Land over Thanksgiving, it will be the last time we're together until Christmas. (My brother was shocked to find he'd be on his own for Thanksgiving; not sure how my sister and I knew about the trip and he didn't, since it's the most major thing my parents have planned ever and he sees them more often.)

While home I got to visit with a couple of aunts and cousins and spoke to a few family friends I don't see very often. Lots of hugging, which I like. It's somewhat ego boosting being home because people there seem to compliment me more than anywhere else. The ladies at the church breakfast thought I looked like I lost weight and complimented the dress I made. Even if it's a wee lie I still appreciate it.

One of my favourite things to do is to ride around the golf course with my dad on the golf cart. The desert holes (the additional 18 holes that bring it up to a 36 hole course) stretch out into the desert (which should be pretty obvious) and we look for golf balls out of bounds. It's pretty fun and this time my sister came with us, which made for a squishy ride. My dad and I also went to a few yard sales and I picked up two Pyrex dishes, a milk glass vase and an awesome kitchen scale, all for $1.75. Sweet. We also went to the meat draw on Saturday and won nothing, but drank a couple jugs of beer with clamato.

My mom and I did a fair bit of bonding as well. I made some peach jam (it didn't gel very well, but had no added pectin) and we worked on a special project together (she cut, I ironed and handstitched). She is very sweet and picked up peaches from the packing house ($0.60/lb) and got some apricots from family friends for us to bring back. I did a mini digital camera tutorial with her so she gets comfortable with it before their trip. My parents are pretty great.

Oh, and it was around 39'C everyday. I find this mildly amusing. Most people who live there have some sort of air conditioning system (my parents have central) and those that don't I don't know because everybody I know there has been there enough years to realise it's necessary. How do people camp there in tents? No idea. We didn't make it to the lake, but I did walk around with bare feet outside on the grass, something I can't do in Vancouver. I'm hoping to get back once more this summer, preferably when nectarines are ready.

I remember when I couldn't wait to get away from there; now I can't leave without feeling nostalgic for all that it was.