long time gone

There's a reason why I've been neglectful in my blogging duties. Margaret and I just recently returned from an adventure to the east coast to visit family. Even on an airplane it's a long trip! Especially with a 3 hour lay-over and then a delayed plane. Thankfully Margaret was a wonderful traveling companion. I just came off the plane with chewed up graham cracker smeared all over my clothes.

First stop was Massachusetts where Margaret met her great grandparents, Lyle & Marjorie McBride, for the first time. Great Auntie Jane (affectionately termed Incredible Auntie Jane) and cousins Caroline, Russell, Millie, Neil, and Elsie were also introduced (technically first cousins once removed). Unfortunately Margaret was a little overwhelmed with so many faces and burst into tears whenever anyone said hello. My family was there as well and she slowly got used to her Granny and younger aunts and uncle over the week. Grandpa was another story. She wouldn't have anything to do with him at first but by the end of the week she decided he was hilarious and would cry when he left the room... as well as when he tried to touch her.

After a couple very short days spent on North Worcester street in Norton (pronounced "No' Wistah" street in "Nahton") we drove down to Gettysburg, PA to meet the new addition to our big family, little miss Ada Othelia Skelton. She is Margaret's first real first cousin and it was fun watching them meet for the first time. Margaret promptly tried to steal all of her pacifiers, blankets and toys. I had fun relaxing in Matt & Annie's big musselman applesauce mansion, watching BBC movies while curled up on the couch with a few cats and at least one dog. Margaret and Ada received the nicknames Big & Little Roundtop (respectively) while exploring the Gettysburg Battlefield.

Fun times with family, but we're also both glad to be home again. It was beautiful flying back into western Oregon. A clear, sunny day looking down on the wild, uninhabited forested mountains streaked with brilliant patches of color where the hardwoods had taken over a clearing. A big difference from the densely populated east coast. I've always had a soft spot in my heart for New England, the scenery, ocean, culture and history. And I greatly enjoyed visiting there when all the trees were in full, breathtaking color. But it felt good to get back to the northwest.