Stateside

I have made it back home, back to a strange land of automobiles and strip malls, but also of rolling green hills, lovely pastures, and reasonable temperatures.

I flew into JFK on Friday afternoon, said my goodbyes to all of my friends from the last month in Spain, and headed North with my brothers to Albany, NY, where we spent the night in a motel. A few glasses of wine and a large meal at The Cheesecake Factory (how strange to be once again dining in a place so large) sent me straight to bed, sleeping hard until early Saturday morning, when I woke up, my body convinced that the hour was much, much later than it really was.

We continued driving, getting lost a few times, until we finally arrived in a small town outside of Burlington, where my cousin was to be married. We found the place, quickly changed, and jogged to the site of the deed. True to the nickname I recently found out has been given to my family (The "Vagabonds"), we arrived just in time to hear the Justice of the Peace speak the words, "I now pronounce you husband and wife," and headed off to eat and drink for the rest of the night.

After a post-wedding brunch yesterday morning, I drove out to Isle La Motte, where my cousin David lives with his wife, Tara, and son, Trevor. I was here last year in October, helping them to do some demolishing work, and the house is now completely changed--wholly renovated and now fit for human dwelling. It is a beautiful place, set on five acres of rural property that is graced with picturesquely crumbling outbuildings and fields of hay.

Today I leave to drive to New Hampshire, where I will meet up with Ellen and spend the night with her and her family before heading South to Jersey, and ultimately, flying to Mexico.

Unfortunately I am having trouble posting any pictures, but I will do so soon. I hope that all are well.