Fruited Plains and Purple Mountain Majesty

Friday morning we were sleeping in at our hotel when the sister we were visiting called to say that there was a tornado right where we were... I forgot what living in the Midwest can be like.... so we pop on the TV, see the red blips, hear some sirens and say, "OK... maybe we should get dressed in case we have to head for the basement" (we didn't).

Of course, the record rains are not helping the farmers or their crops...

Yesterday we were off to see the wonderful ArmyWifeToddlerMom and got to finally meet her DH and huggable little ones! The most sparkling and happy people with whom to spend an evening! ADub cooked an absolutely scrumptious dinner. PN and SR were wonderfully behaved and the most engaging "little people"!! A wonderful time was had by all and we hope to see them again very soon!!

Today we drove across the great heartland of America -- where people still make things and grow things and work sun up to sun down and have (for the most part) avoided the consumption excesses that seem to plague so many of those who live in the larger coastal cities... and tonight we are with family in the land of the great Rocky Mountains!

Still snow on some peaks!!

We are just days from returning to the home we love so much... and while the breathtaking beauty of this country is undeniable, and the technology and bounty (such as wind farms, combines, corn fields as far as the eye can see, railroads, automobiles, etc.) are awe-inspiring, it is really the people along our journey that have made this trip so memorable and fun!!!! Hilary & John & Mr. Z, Jas, G, Ash & Av, James, Karen, Sue, Jim, Fran, Sue, Ruth, Shane, Michelle & Katy, Dick, Lin, Bob, Mish & Hata, ADub, Mr. ADub, PN & SR, Karen, Mark, Mary, Dan, Tim & Chris... We miss Tom Terrific, Noah, Ev & Virgil and our own beds... We will not miss the rain (there has been plenty of it -- although fortunately none on any day we have been driving!) nor the humidity and walls of mosquitoes and other bugs that we had forgotten live in the woodsy areas of the US. I swear when we get home, I will not set an alarm or drive longer than a few miles for at least a few weeks. All in all, we are having a BLAST!!