Tuesday, July 17, 2007

A Hillbilly Can Go Home...

For the first time in almost 10 years, my whole family was together. We all got together to celebrate a milestone birthday for my dad. The dude’s getting old, but still handsome and ornery as ever!

It’s amazing how we could let it go that long without all getting together, but somehow it happened. We’re all spread out across the country and have our own crazy lives. While some of us have seen each other over the years, the last time we all got together was for a family member’s funeral, not exactly the happiest of occasions. But this time, we had something to celebrate!

My sisters and I met up in the Albuquerque airport and started our journey home. We headed off to Ruidoso, New Mexico. Now we aren’t originally from Ruidoso. My folks have only lived there for a couple of years, but I have to say it sure feels like home.

I fell in love with this town in one brief weekend. The moment I arrived in Ruidoso, I was impressed by the generosity, sincerity and good nature of the people in this small resort town. For those of you who are not familiar with the town, it’s a quaint, little town up in the mountains about 3 hours southeast of Albuquerque, NM and 2 ½ hours northeast of El Paso, TX. It offers great skiing in the winter, horse races in the summer and caring, trusting people all year round. It truly is a magical place. It moves at a slower pace and I find myself completely relaxed the instant I arrive.

My dad was expecting me, but he had no idea my sisters were coming in as well. We spent two days reminiscing, eating (there’s nothing better than a home-cooked meal) and generally having a good time. We laughed, we cried and we laughed some more. My sisters and I suddenly resorted backed to the klutziness of our childhood. We were like the Three Stooges in the kitchen; overturning the dog’s water bowl, burning the dinner rolls, spilling wine. I think we even broke a thing or two, but we were quickly forgiven.

After two days of bonding, it was time to say goodbye. We all have our own lives that we had to get back to. You know it’s weird, but no matter how old you are, it’s always hard to leave home. As we said our goodbyes, we promised to get together again soon and not wait another ten years! I truly hope we all hold true to our promise.

After living in the craziness of Los Angeles, a relaxing weekend up in the mountains was exactly what this traveling hillbilly needed. I’ve been on many amazing adventures, but sometimes the best trips are those spent close to home, spending quality time with family and friends. I left Ruidoso with many great memories, a small hole in my heart for what I had to leave behind and great anticipation for the next reunion. All in all it was a great trip.

I dedicate this posting to my mom and dad, who I love and miss dearly. Behave yourselves until we get together again.

The Traveling Hillbilly Goes "Home"

For the first time in almost 10 years, my whole family was together. We all got together to celebrate a milestone birthday for my dad. The dude’s getting old, but still handsome and ornery as ever!

It’s amazing how we could let it go that long without all getting together, but somehow it happened. We’re all spread out across the country and have our own crazy lives. While some of us have seen each other over the years, the last time we all got together was for a family member’s funeral, not exactly the happiest of occasions. But this time, we had something to celebrate!

My sisters and I met up in the Albuquerque airport and started our journey home. We headed off to Ruidoso, New Mexico. Now we aren’t originally from Ruidoso. My folks have only lived there for a couple of years, but I have to say it sure feels like home.

I fell in love with this town in one brief weekend. The moment I arrived in Ruidoso, I was impressed by the generosity, sincerity and good nature of the people in this small resort town. For those of you who are not familiar with the town, it’s a quaint, little town up in the mountains about 3 hours southeast of Albuquerque, NM and 2 ½ hours northeast of El Paso, TX. It offers great skiing in the winter, horse races in the summer and caring, trusting people all year round. It truly is a magical place. It moves at a slower pace and I find myself completely relaxed the instant I arrive.

My dad was expecting me, but he had no idea my sisters were coming in as well. We spent two days reminiscing, eating (there’s nothing better than a home-cooked meal) and generally having a good time. We laughed, we cried and we laughed some more. My sisters and I suddenly resorted backed to the klutziness of our childhood. We were like the Three Stooges in the kitchen; overturning the dog’s water bowl, burning the dinner rolls, spilling wine. I think we even broke a thing or two, but we were quickly forgiven.

After two days of bonding, it was time to say goodbye. We all have our own lives that we had to get back to. You know it’s weird, but no matter how old you are, it’s always hard to leave home. As we said our goodbyes, we promised to get together again soon and not wait another ten years! I truly hope we all hold true to our promise.

After living in the craziness of Los Angeles, a relaxing weekend up in the mountains was exactly what this traveling hillbilly needed. I’ve been on many amazing adventures, but sometimes the best trips are those spent close to home, spending quality time with family and friends. I left Ruidoso with many great memories, a small hole in my heart for what I had to leave behind and great anticipation for the next reunion. All in all it was a great trip.

I dedicate this posting to my mom and dad, who I love and miss dearly. Behave yourselves until we get together again.