Crazy days..!

Time-less and busy
I had a slight feeling, a preminition if you will, that this "mini vacation/extended weekend" would mess up my blog week, and boy was I right?!

Thursday was a day off at home, Friday we began the road trip, Saturday was the wedding and Sunday meant seeing The Big Son and going back home and then Monday was the national day, back home.
Pew, tiring just writing about it...

The prolonged weekend meant seeing both our families: mine and Marcus'. 

This is the view from my parent's top floor, that's in the making right now.

I didn't only move far from my firstborn son, moving south, I also moved far away from my parents. So, seeing each other is good fun and a whole lot of catching up!

We're being greeted and my mom got a tiny bouquet of spring flowers. Happy day!

A very typical sight in our country.

Peaceful and summery surroundings at my parents' home.

The Boy is also being greeted. By a happy Bulldog!

Hot like a day in the middle of July.

Daughter and mother.

My parents were in a good and cheerful mood.

These dogs actually like The Boy, so he enjoys them.

Stone throwing has always been a favorite pass time and so it was this visit.

So there we have it: crazy days! 

Rushing from one place to another, intensly socializing like there was no tomorrow while trying to estimate arrival times...

We didn't forget, however, to appreciate the fact that the dog was happily stored away at a dog hotel and the fact that us humans could enjoy a silent (well, bark free) ride.

Standing in the sun, being able to share and ask, isn't half bad.

It feels like maybe 10 years since I went to Thailand with my parents but it's actually 21 years since we were there (the shock realizing THAT....!). Well, being there my father looked ridiculously silly in some kind of tropical hat with a twenties' thing going, like he stepped out of a Agatha Christie novel. Seeing them now, he indulged me and put that very hat on again, for laughs!

It was good, visiting the parents.

Years passing

It's scary, I must admit, realizing how the years pass.

I like to think that I'm still "young", 'cuz I sure do feel exactly the same as I always have.

Or so I tell myself.

Of course I've experienced a whole lot of things during my 40 first years in this life, things that have changed who I am.

It's a good thing seizing the day, being intensely IN the day and feeling.

**********

Before taking off on our road trip, we had a good Thursday off, at home. The day had it's moments, for sure:

The Gem of the family runs to pick his blanket up as soon as it's starting to feel cosy.

And the baby of the family smiled in the tub <3

The Shire

Well, being European it's inevitable that you adore "Lord of the rings" and being a keen visitor to Britain, having a Brit for a best friend, it's darn impossible not loving Tolkien.

Having said that - - - 

I must quote an ex-blogger from my town who wrote in the blog (that was all about photographing the town each day) that even though he loved traveling, he always felt like Frodo out of The Shire when he left this town.

I must agree - that's how I feel!

I like traveling and was excited about the road trip but already I feel a little lost, a little out of my love zone, whenever I leave my Shire.

I mean: look at our hedge!

Listen to our Blackbird singing on end.

Marvel and behold the blue sky and ocean and the white flowers and waves.

Find eternity in a leaf.

And empathize with a mommy who recently lost her child, on our lawn. 

Last summer she also lost one there, to a crow.

Cheer the brave crow chasing off the eagle, trying to take her kids. 

And also: be in awe of the eagle's sheer beauty.

So, why wouldn't I feel strange leaving? Like Frodo out of The Shire.

I belong here.

I love it here.

And I get to live here!