The Call of the Open Road; or Driving Miss Bertha
Mom is a hoot. I'm not sure how many 88-year-olds are actually willing to pack up their meds and blood pressure cuffs and canes and snack foods and hit the road for days at a time, but she is. Almost always. "Beats sitting at home", she says. And (the phrase we always tease her about), everything is "so INTERESTING!". No wonder she's the age she is - things continue to be interesting and lively; and there is so much more to explore!
Lest any of you think that Bertha is an anamoly, allow me to introduce Evelyn Maki (nee: Evelyn Ruotsinoya). Evelyn, who married into the family as did my mother, is a mere 84. She lives in St. Joseph, Michigan; and we looked her up after finding her address online. She was married to my dad' Aunt Olga's son, Clinton Maki. Mom hasn't seen or heard from Evelyn for years, yet her call was warmly welcomed. We spent part of the afternoon with this delightful lady, the oldest of her siblings at 83. Turns out she used to live with Clinton on the very block that Pat and I live on in Duluth; and that she graduated from high school in Litchfield with one of Mom's very good friends from the Cities (how many people are named Ruotsinoya, after all?). Evelyn gave us a tour of St. Joseph; from it's lovely long sandy beaches to its adorable downtown; replete with little Cape Cod-esque shops and cafes...
Tonight rendezvoused the the Western Region art teachers; from the wilds of Kansas and Indiana to the cities of Texas and Iowa. We're here to work, but it's always a pleasure to share time with these dedicated teachers... And Bertha gets a few days out of the car!
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