I'm taking off for a few days on a road trip to visit family in Maine. These days I am very conscious of the resource-intensive nature of travel. But having had a sudden and unexpected death in the family this summer, I am also keenly aware of how important family is, and that there is never any guarantee that I'll see the people I love again. My family is far-flung, with relatives in California, and scattered over the northeastern part of the US from Ohio to DC to Maine. "Love miles" are a reality for me, whether I choose to travel those miles or not. As much as I am theoretically committed to a low-energy, local lifestyle, I have not been able to reconcile those values when it comes to maintaining ties with family. Yes, I am a hypocrite. The clincher with this trip is that my father is driving to Maine whether I go with him or not. And truth be told, I'd worry about him doing the drive by himself. So I'm going along, and I'm looking forward to it. I very rarely have any one-on-one time with my dad, and I'm not about to turn down an opportunity like this one. We have some fun things to do along the way. It should be good.
I will try to be a little more regular in my postings when I get back. Updates are in order for honey bees, the turkey, fig trees in containers, and potatoes in buckets - round two. I plan to a post on the ancho chili powder too, since someone asked. There are still so many projects to try and cram into what's left of the fair weather of this year!
Have a good time and enjoy your time with your dad. I'm interested in your figs in pots, as I bought one this year. No fruit yet but it is growing.
ReplyDeleteI do not think you are being hypocritical at all. You are incredibly conscious of your energy consumption on a daily basis, from what I've seen. Your family priorities cannot be compared to life's "maintenance" issues, such as going to the grocery store, etc.
ReplyDeleteKate, I don't think your only two choices are stay home or be a hypocrite. If everyone were as thoughtful and prudent as you, we'd be off fossil fuels in no time.
ReplyDeleteLoved your post. Love your attitude. My dad is gone now. I did not get much "alone time" with him because my mother was very jealous and thought that took away from our time with her and his time with her. *sigh*
ReplyDeleteCherish this time. You will remember it long after he is gone. Hugs, Ilene
What Tamar said.
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful, memorable trip.
Hazel
Kate - Have a great time. Car-pooling is is completely respectable, and taking a car trip with your dad is certainly worthwhile. Enjoy your time with your family.
ReplyDeleteTime spent with family and good friends is critical. It's the reason we have so many blasted miles on our car, but I count it worthwhile. We try to be careful in other areas so it balances out.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your trip. Eat some lobster and support the local economy!
Debbie, I'll add the figs in containers to my list of topics ripe for updates. It's a long list though, so don't hold your breath!
ReplyDeleteLaurel, Tamar, Ilene, Hazel & Jennifer, thanks for salving my conscience. It's hard to say no to family gatherings, and I don't really want to.
Teresa, sadly, I didn't get any lobster while I was in Maine. Most meals were prepared for me at my relatives' home, so I couldn't really complain. They have served me lobster in the past, but with a whole house full of guests (including some vegetarians), it would have been a stretch for them to dish up lobster. Next time!
Family is always important at those times, so I guess you made the right decision by pushing through with it. You know, I've gone through that kind of fiasco too. The moment I learned about the news of my grampa's passing due to heart failure, I hurriedly organized a trip to their house even though my car was freshly off the auto repair shop. From Beverly Hills to Orange County, my head only had thoughts of my grampa while I was on the road. Thankfully, within a couple of hours, we reached the destination and saw our other family members.
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