Home is where the heart is...

This weekend I have been visiting my dad... as we prepare for my grandmother's funeral tomorrow... Originally I was going to work on Saturday, but my sister decided that she was going to come up to visit Dad and she was bringing her family... sooo... I did not want to miss a chance to visit with them, so I called out for my shift and headed north. 

Dad has been living with his girlfriend, Betty, for a while now... and Betty has told me that I am welcome to stay at the house with them at anytime... my only other visit to her home was on the eve of Thanksgiving... I figured that I would stay with them at some point... most likely again, around Thanksgiving.  I didn't know how it would feel going to visit my father without staying at our house... the house where I had lived for so long...

Truth be told, I considered getting a hotel room... unsure about how it would feel to be an overnight guest... and I wasn't sure it would feel 'right'.... and Betty has a dog, and I am allergic to dogs... my allergy, historically has been pretty minor... but this winter I rode in a vehicle that had transported a black lab (same breed as Betty's dog) and had a significant reaction... to the point where I won't ride with that person if the windows cannot be down... also this weekend meant meeting Betty's daughter, Jacey... and while we have communicated online, in person is always different...

I got to Betty's around 4:45 p.m. on Friday.... (I had waited around home hoping to hear from the place I interviewed... no word yet!)  When I drove up, it was pretty quiet... and nobody came to greet me... which was kind of nice to be honest... (I should add here I had to call for directions because I had only been here in winter and at night!)  I walked around the house, to the lakeside... Betty's house is right on the water... BEAUTIFUL!  And found Dad and Betty sitting on the deck by the water.  It was nice to get here and to see them. 

This is a beautiful spot... beautiful lake... one that has fond memories for me... in high school/college I spent a lot of time in the summer with friends who had a camp on this lake and we boated and had many laughs out here.  I sat and chatted for a while and eventually Jacey came out too.  It was nice. 

Eventually we made our way inside and as I looked around Betty's house, began noticing that there were things hung on the wall from Mom and Dad's house... I liked that... (although not putting up the antlers from the prize buck he had shot years ago would have been okay with me)... I liked that there are pieces of Dad surfacing here at Betty's... and I am sure I will, at some point refer to this as Dad's place too, not just Betty's house... but for now... saying Betty's house or At the Lake feels good. 

The weekend went pretty well.  It was nice being together... family.  Jacey and I got a chance to visit and I thanked her for welcoming Dad into her life and her mom's life... and for welcoming me and my sister and her family this weekend... that I appreciate it so much... She said that she was happy for her mom and my dad... that she knows had either of us had control over things there would be no reason for my dad to be without my mom and her mom to be without her dad (divorce)...but that she knows that in life, you need good people around for support and that having good people around was a very good thing... she and I are on the same page in that way. 

She is a cool kid... and I say kid because she is a lot younger than me, or so it seems... Betty was my homeroom teacher in sixth grade and at the end of  that year had Jacey.... so I remember being so excited about my teacher having a baby... and It feels like I am way older than Jacey... Jacey is a college student and will be taking classes near where I am living so I hope we get a chance to visit once in a while. 

She said to her Mom yesterday... "I woke up this morning as an only child.. and look... today I kind of have two sisters and some nephews...how cool is that?" I am paraphrasing a bit, but that was the gist... I am good with that... and the idea of having a younger sister is kind of cool... whatever relation we are to each other at this point... we decided we are family... and I like that too...

Being here this weekend felt natural... I admit that surprises me... but pleasantly so... I love being at the lake and enjoying all the amenities the lake has to offer... I got to go kayaking, with my nephews... no solo paddles this time (although I look forward to a chance to explore the lake more!) , swimming, and relaxing on the water's edge... very nice. 

Home is where the heart is... and this home... has a lot of heart! 
(Pics soon... promise...)