Hello everyone… after a break over the holidays and a trip home, I am back! I hope that all of you had a wonderful Christmas and New Year with those you hold dear. I hope you made memories to hold you over until your next gathering. As for me, I did just that. It was a hectic and relaxing week all at the same time, but it was full of joy. There was family, friends, a little food and a little drink, conversation, and some laziness. It was great.

Preparation

Before any journey, there is preparation. Each trip home it’s the same. I make a mental list of the things to bring along with me. There’s the necessary items to pack like the proper clothing; I check the weather before leaving because this time of year always seems to be unpredictable. Will there be snow or ice? Will I be unsure that I ever actually left Florida at all? Will I need Aqua Net number 5 hairspray and a windbreaker? You can never tell. Then there’s the list of things I’m bringing for others. Gifts for the grandbaby, some new spirits for my brother to try, maybe some local craft beer for my son in law, and of course authentic Polish food for Babcia. There are a few European markets near my home in Florida so I always try to pick up a few things for mama when I head home to West Virginia. Bread, Polish pickles, and of course the kabanosy that both Babcia and Sophie love. I think Babcia looks forward to the kabanosy more than she looks forward to seeing her wayward daughter.

Merry Christmas Indeed

It was a very merry Christmas this year. We were able to be together, which was the most important thing. Everyone was boosted and well with no sign of any nasty variants in sight. Our Sophie was the master of ceremonies, handing out gifts for everyone to open. Little Brodee is a year old now and has just begun to walk around all by himself. He sort of opened a few gifts with help from me and his mama, and mostly watched everyone with his big, blue, beautiful eyes. Even the dogs received gifts from Babcia and she doesnt even really care much for dogs. It was a Christmas miracle for sure. We enjoyed a magnificent (as always) dinner prepared by my sister in law at my brother’s home. All was well.

Over the course of the week I was able to visit with friends. This is always fun around the holidays. Seeing people you don’t get to see on a regular basis and laughing with them is one of the true joys of the season. It’s nice to be with old friends who really know you, and love you anyway. It’s part of what makes going home feel like HOME. Old stories get retold, new ones are shared, and time stands still for just a little while. I was with my people.

Driving Through the Hills

One of my favorite parts of the trip home is always the drive through the mountains of West Virginia before I get to my hometown in the Ohio River Valley. When I am heading north, I always get excited at the first sight of hills in the distance. It’s as if I have crossed through a portal and entered a different place. The dusky gray shadows of the hills ahead of me in the distance always makes me excited because I know I am getting closer. The progression from hills to mountains as I head up the interstate is thrilling. First there are the few smaller hills I begin to see on I-77 in South Carolina. Then bigger rolling hills in North Carolina come into view. Next there’s the beautiful length of highway around the North Carolina and Virginia state line. Then there are the tunnels through the mountains.

Headed north, you hit the Big Walker Mountain tunnel first. This is the shorter of the two tunnels. The second tunnel you come to about 20 miles later is the East River Mountain tunnel, and is the passageway into West Virginia. Incidentally, it’s one of just two mountain tunnels in the country that lie at a state line. I always love coming to that tunnel when I’m driving north because I know West Virginia is just on the other side. On the other hand, I hate seeing that tunnel when I’m heading south because I know it means I’m about to leave the state. I don’t think I’ve ever driven through that tunnel headed south without crying.

If you’ve never driven that stretch of I-77, you’re really missing out on some stunning views. I am a proud West Virginia native (put that in your pipe and smoke it Ms. Midler) and so of course those mountains hold a special meaning to me. When I am on that section of highway I always feel closer to heaven; West Virginia earns it’s nickname “almost heaven” and delivers on her promise. I have even found myself weeping from time to time just from the sheer beauty that I find myself surrounded by.

Country Roads

All my memories actually do gather ’round her, and they swirl in a flurry of emotions and pride that cause tears to fill my eyes and roll down my cheeks as I grip the steering wheel. West Virginians are proud, and we make no apologies for that. Either you get it or you don’t. We don’t need your acceptance or your approval, thank you very much. We do invite you to come and visit, to enjoy, and to leave it as you found it. Maybe you’ll leave with an appreciation for all that our state offers and all that she is. For me at least, there really is no place like home.