Most of my daily retirement life is spent in front of the TV or immersed in the pages of a book. Yesterday, it was the conclusion of the series, Dark Winds, and the final chapters of the novel The Vanishing Half. However, today I will get off my butt and perhaps go to a movie or at least to a musical, The Fantasticks, at our local theater. In the back of my mind are the extensive preparations for our three week drive and thoughts of all the friends and family that we plan to meet along the way. 

I’m kind of regretting that we’re not making a stop in my hometown. My sister is probably offended but we’re meeting a couple that we haven’t seen in years because of health problems. That detour will take us out of Indiana and into Illinois, putting us further away from my family. There was a time when stopping there was the whole purpose of the trip as several classes were planning 50th anniversary graduation ceremonies and many of my friends were headed home. As it turns out, our timing isn’t right for those events that are happening this week instead. 

My sister and I are so different in our thinking that I’m afraid that an argument will break out at any time over religion or politics. I limit my contact with her to a phone call each week and try to avoid those topics. She’s also unvaccinated, an issue with my wife, that also prevented me from getting us together with cousins. We did not make the trip up to see her new place here in Florida, just a few hours away, so going out of our way to get back to my hometown was not a priority. However, I would like to see her kids, so I’m conflicted.