< ![CDATA[   There is something glorious about hopping astride my steel steed and pounding out ten miles on the big wide flat of Indiana prairie on a spring day. Daffodils and crocus whiz by my feet as we roll along past the chocolate earth of fields calling audibly for the farmers to bring out the corn seeds. Especially when I know full well that back on Fern Hill the new owners are still digging out beneath at least two feet of snow... and that is IF it has melted substantially in the last three weeks. My friend Lois reported an additional seven inches of accumulation followed by a melt off that induced her kids to wear their beach sandals out in the snow on a 50F day, just because they could. I think about this as the warm winds of the flat lands pull little tendrils of my black hair out from around the edges of my helmet and I inhale the pregnant spring air. In spite of our somewhat rocky start to the trip west (two break downs of the camper and a total of about $700.00 of repairs before we even got to Pennsylvania!) things are going well. When I spoke to my Dad from the back bed of the camper while the second mishap was being rectified I asked for the usual: “Yeah Dad, we’re all fine, the guys are fixing it... if you would, just pray for this old camper...” He laughed and replied in signature Gramps style, “Sister, what that van needs is not prayer, it’s new radiator hoses!” “Thanks Dad, we hadn’t noticed that!” He must have decided to give prayer a try anyway as we have not had any more mechanical crises since then. Grandma and Grandpa’s Great, after flying half way across the country, worked tirelessly to get us out of our house on time and then patiently drove behind our big bus all the way back, sleeping in Home Depot parking lots and roadside carpool lots with us like troopers. After all of that, amazingly, Grandpa’s Great climbed back in the belly of the whale with us for the four day tour to Wisconsin, the highlights of which included backfiring that brought neighbours out to see if there was a drive-by in progress, torrential rain the entire way which leaked in under the wheel well on the passenger side soaking the carpet (natch) and three out of four children as well as Mama coming down with a horrendous cold. Par for the course. We’ve had such a sweet time of fellowship with friends and family... a week in the gorgeous hills of Brown County with our chosen family, first rides of the year, long afternoons watching children play and come in completely mud covered from the creek down in the hollow... their house is always a place of respite for me. Four days with one of my oldest, bestest friends and her two fabulous boys. It is with great pride that I announce that I cycled her twelve year old boy into the ground! Who says old Mamas can’t wear out big boys?! Late nights of cards with octogenarians, lunch at the expected location with the “Red Lobster Grandma.” And many a violin and guitar concert played by the older children for rooms full of friends, relatives and the residents of Great Grandma’s building. We couldn’t ask for better memories with those we love than we’ve had. Everyone has sent us out with prayer and best wishes and grand style. We’re having a great time and feel blessed beyond measure. T-minus 15 days until blast off.]]>