Everyone needs to travel around a bit, so why not make it a journey?  

Just spent 10 days doing a curve through the south and east coast.  Headed to Mississippi to visit my oldest boy and his family, then off to Mayberry, USA – Mt. Airy – home of Andy Griffith and the inspiration for his long-running show, to see an old running mate from my submarine days.  We go back to January, 1990 when I showed up at Commander, Submarine Forces Atlantic, in Norfolk, Virginia. And we have been brothers ever since. Honestly – bubbleheads get older, I don’t think we mature much…neither wife could really appreciate our stories and our jokes. Their loss!

Then, a dash up to West Virginia to spend Father’s Day with my youngest daughter and her family, before we headed to an AirBnB in Jersey City to watch Borussia Dortmund play in the FIFA World Cup at MetLife Stadium with said daughter and her youngest.  The team played O.K. but not great – a 0-0 game.  The plus side to this leg of the trip – my youngest son came over from Brooklyn to watch the game and spend time.  75% of the kids seen!  After this, we continued north to Kingston, NY to enjoy a Dallas Hot Weiner and some soft serve.  And visit the childhood haunts of my wife.  Visited with some of her family, toured Catskill, to see where she spent summers, and then up to Syracuse for 3 more days of visiting before we flew back.  Every day was fun – and that’s what travel should be.  

And then back to the ETX.  Where, the grass was tall enough to bale for hay…two days on the tractor and the mower and we’re almost where we need to be!

Two years ago, I had plans to head to a little coastal town in South Carolina to visit my dearest – and practically only, after 40 years – college friend. Anne was a hoot, and her then husband and my college sweetheart made up a fun foursome that centered around simple times, her two young children, and any adventure Northern California had to offer. We stayed in touch – even if it meant 3 or 5 years of getting lost in all our moves – somehow. She had an infectious laugh, a beautiful smile, and a no-nonsense way of looking at things. She and her husband showed up here about 4 or 5 years ago. Hot as hell. I am dirty, sweaty, and feeding the chickens when some redhead starts shouting “Hey!” at me over the fence. I squinted – and probably had a “Who the F— is that?” look on my face when she said “David Meyers!!” Not a question – a simple fact. She had not seen me in probably 20 years, I am retired – bearded – and not looking like much…but she knew who she was addressing! And I remember the whole change in my attitude! “ANNE!!!” and I actually ran – picture a mastodon pounding the tundra – and we had a great visit. Her and her husband, Charlie, were in Texas visiting his sister and she said “He live’s in this area, somewhere…” and found me. My trip to South Carolina was to return the favor, but it never happened. Anne unexpectedly died. My longest friendship ended, and my grief continues.

So – don’t ever plan to visit old friends next year or the year after. Go visit NOW. You don’t know if a parent, an uncle, a friend, will be around when you finally decide to interrupt your life. This trip, was to make sure I put ‘eyes on target’ for a few folks that I love and respect. And to tell them that, face to face.