I’m so excited — Nick and I both managed to get off work to go home for Easter!  We’re planning to leave early Friday morning and then we’ll come home on Monday.  I can’t wait.  We haven’t been home since the wedding back in October so I’m really excited to be back in Erie.  Erica will be traveling with us too, so she’ll be able to see her family.  Of course, we’ll also have the Gracie-dog in tow.

I’m hoping to see a few friends while I’m in town too.  Though, it’s always difficult getting to see everyone.  We never seem to have enough time to visit everyone that we’d like to visit with.

I’m also hoping to possibly hit up the Cultured Purl if by any weird quirk they’re open on Saturday.  (As if I need more yarn… but it’s always fun to visit out-of-town knit shops!)

Erica and I are planning to knit and crochet during our drive to Erie.  She’s working on some crocheted placemats and I’m not sure yet which knitting projects I’m going to take.  I think I might pack a baby sweater-jacket that I’m knitting for a friend (who happens to be due in two days!) and maybe some socks.  I need a couple challenging patterns to keep things interesting on the long drive.  I also need to make sure to pack at least one project (perhaps dish cloths or  plain stockinette socks) that I can knit without having to read a chart or directions, because I sometimes get sick reading in the car.

While we’re visiting, my grandma is going to teach Erica and I to crochet her “famous” dish-scrubbers too.  I think that will be a fun “girlie” thing to get together and do.

Anyway, the week leading up to our trip has been hectic so far.  I’m getting some much-needed maintenance done on my car before we leave.  I got new tires yesterday and today its in the shop getting an oil change, fluids flushed, an alignment, etc. I thought I needed new brakes too (which would have added significantly to my bill) but fortunately they told me that I don’t!  (At least not right now…)  It’s going to practically be a whole new car when I get it back!  I really, really love my Element though, so it’s totally worth it.

I work late tomorrow night and I’m sure I’ll be spending Wednesday and Thursday night packing and trying to get the house ready for us to leave.  Gidget (our cat) will be staying behind but Erica’s husband, Alan, is going to check on her for us (thank you!).

It’s going to be a long week, but I can’t wait…

I’ve been thinking about my Great-Uncle Larry quite a bit recently. He passed away — gosh, has it been 2 or 3 years ago now?

I’m not sure, even though all this time has passed, that it’s even sunk in that he’s really gone. He always traveled so much that I keep expecting him to come home from his job working on the boats or from his winter stay in Florida. Part of me believes one day there will at least be a postcard from him, wherever he’s gone.

I find myself thinking of him most when I’m in downtown Nashville, walking to go get lunch or what have you. I think about how much he’d have loved coming to visit us here. He would have loved me showing him all the sights.

He took me so many places and showed me so many things when I was a little girl. He took me on my first trips to Asbury Woods, Presque Isle beaches, and to Frontier Park to sled-ride. When I was a teenager, he took me to Cocoa Beach, which marked my first time ever seeing the ocean. I never really thought about how many hours he spent dragging me all over the place to see new places and learn new things. I remember when I was a little girl I could call him any time of the day and say, “Hey do you wanna do something?” and he’d drop everything to come take me to Waldameer or to the zoo.

I can’t help but daydream about how wonderful it would have been to have gotten the chance to switch roles — for him to have come here to Nashville, my new home, where I could have shown him all the wonderful things I’ve seen and learned about. I’d take him to see the Parthenon and all the museums. I’m sure he’d have enjoyed seeing the Ryman and I’m certain we’d have walked out onto the Shelby Street pedestrian bridge to take pictures of all the pretty city lights at night.

I feel lucky that I’ve been able to share all those things with other members of my family, but somehow I still am sad that my uncle wasn’t here for it. He gave me so many wonderful memories and experiences, it makes me sad to know I’ll never get the chance to pay him back for all he did for me.