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★ Post-Vacation

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Pat L

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Around the House

Originally uploaded by PatL

I’m in a post-vacation, post-relaxation, post-Montana mood right now.

My family’s week long trip to the home I grew up in, in Trout Creek, Montana, was a great time. We went hiking, fishing, canoeing, bicycling, exploring and spent great time together.

There was also a bittersweet element to the experience for us, as it was my first extended time staying at the home since I left for college – and more specifically, since my dad passed away. It was hard not to see echoes of his life everywhere – in our neighbors, in the buildings, in photos, everywhere. And, since my mom has since moved to Spokane and my brother and sister have grown up and moved into their own homes as well, the house isn’t permanently occupied, so many of the structures around the property are in decay. Like this baskeball hoop. My childhood hoop.

The family has done a fantastic job of keeping the house up, and cleaning up a lot, but there still are these echoes of disuse that are haunting.

Like many other recent life experiences, this one was deeper than I expected it to be, and it will take me time to process through it all. But it was great to go home again, if only for a week.

2 responses to “★ Post-Vacation”

  1. Spud Avatar
    Spud

    Hey Pat,

    I read your blog fairly consistently and really enjoy it. I was thinking about you on your vacation. Since my mom has moved from Thompson I rarely have been back (for a weekend for our 20 yr. reunion). Something funny I remember about your dad is when he turned 40 I remember an ad in the Ledger that read, "Lordy Lordy, look who's 40!" Somewhat relevant right now as I turn 40 in a couple of days. I hope you and Shannon and the kids are doing well.

    Peace,
    Spud

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  2. Pat Avatar
    Pat

    Thanks a lot, Spud. Was thinking about you a lot this past week too, thankful that God has done so much in the lives of so many of our peers, and through us too.

    That ad, that was awesome. It was retaliation by mom though, did you know that? When she turned 30, Dad put an ad in the Ledger also which said that she was turning 30 and feeling sad, so people should call her (and included our home number). Mom got calls for a few weeks from well-wishers and from people who figured out the joke.

    So she set Dad up with the "lordy, lordy" thing and threw him a wake to celebrate. Black t-shirts, black baloons, black armbands.

    It wasn't often that my mom put one over on Dad, but that time was the be all and end all.

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Hello,

I’m Pat

Passionate about the common good, human flourishing, lifelong learning, being a good ancestor.

Things I do: Engineering leadership; Grad Instructor in spirituality, creativity, digital personhood, pilgrimage.

Powerlifter, mountain biker, Gonzaga basketball fan, reader, urban sketcher, hiker.

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