terrshee's Diaryland Diary

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I Got Cemetary Mojo

Today I went to pay my mother a short visit via a stop at an archery place up in Lancaster. I am now equipped with a new bow for Pennsic, with which I must get in some practice before then or add to the pile o' shame for my faded SCA skills.

It was rather odd to go toodling down PA 30 East, which used to go through Pennsylvania Dutch country with a few touristy spots like Dutch Wonderland which has grown immensely since my childhood (think South of the Border only the guys on the billboards wear beards without moustaches and plain black hats rather than bandito moustaches and sombreros). Now it goes through Pennsylvania Dutch Country (TM) brought to you by the local tourist board with a few of the Amish and/or Menonites scattered about.

A few historic homes have become B&B's and the tacky motels advertise waterbeds and Weird Al Kareoke Night. Very scary.

It was a trip down memory lane and a lesson in what is becoming of Murica.

Oh, and gas was cheap up there. $263.9 a gallon. Woohoo, except that one has to use it up to get anywhere.

Mom is well enough, I think. Hard to tell because she really won't talk about it much these days.

We did do a thing which we've talked about for a while, which is drive out to the cemetary where her parents are buried to make sure we know where they are. A sister came with us.

Mom couldn't remember the exact spot, so we strolled about and found a number of markers which we are pretty sure were from relatives of the generation before, but no Grammom/Grampop.

It a fit of nostaglia, I reminded Mom of the good Catholic charm she'd taught me as a child when I couldn't find something.

"Saint Anthony, Saint Anthony, please come around. Something's lost and can't be found."

Sure enough, I turned around and the first stone I spotted had Chandler and Marie's name on it.

Coincidence? I think so, since we'd pretty much covered all the ground in the area Mom could remember. But kind of funny, and a gratifying in a family sort of way, since I think Mom's mother had taught her that one. Anyway, my sister was impressed by my mojo.

7:47 p.m. - 2006-06-10
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