Texas While We Were Gone

Just before we left for Kauai (over a year ago), my brother was contemplating moving back home to Texas.  He has a travel trailer, so we offered to let him come stay on our land in the trailer while he did some house hunting.  Well, you know the saying:  Let no good deed go unpunished...  Between the offer and our getting the assignment in Hawaii, he began moving things to Texas.  Then we flew the coop.

Murphy's Law kicked in and if something could go wrong for my brother, it did.  First his medical problems from Viet Nam and "old" age kicked in along about Abilene, Texas and he had a wreck.  His truck and travel trailer were seriously wounded, and he ended up in the hospital.  Our son/land manager went to the rescue, sorted things out for him in Abilene and stayed with him until his daughter and grandson got there to take over.

Well, this left my brother in transition with no travel trailer to live in.  No problem.  They could stay in our home until they found a place to buy.  It took several more trips back and forth to Nevada gathering up their belongings and wrapping up business there.  They only had to live in our home for a few months before buying and settling into their own.  It was good to have him back in Texas (even though I'm in Kauai!)

Then, of course, all major holidays are spent at "Granma n Granpa's," so our Dallas and Houston sons and their families were staying in our home off and on over the course of the year.  And remember those teenage grandsons that got to go to Kauai?  They got permission from their dads to sleep over in our home on the weekends.  They do their own cooking and cleaning and Dad/Uncle was always popping in from his home at the other end of our land, so it wasn't like they were on their own...

All of this to say, my home was "out of place" when we got back.  Now, I'm not obsessive/compulsive, but I am an organizer.  I began locating things - especially in the kitchen - that weren't where I normally put them and put them where they "belong."  There were groceries to be bought.  Laundry to be done.  My land and animals to feast my eyes on.  A front porch to be sat on in our rocking chairs.  Showers to be taken in a not-Menehune shower! (See "The Menehune" post from September 6.)  And working with our traveler companies to find another assignment.

Believe it or not, within a week we were being sent to Virginia. But that's okay.  My home was set to rights, cleaned, fluffed, and buffed.  I could leave with a peaceful heart.  And so we did.  Off to Danville, Virginia - wherever that is.