FAMILY, FRIENDS, FUN, FEELING & FRENCH FRIES.

Jim and I have successfully returned from a very meaningful trip (for me especially), to my hometown of Easton, Pennsylvania. We piled up the Matrix with the hubby, the two puppies and myself and made the 10 hour drive in fine form - and blissfully escaped the horrid 90 and 100 degree heat here in Tennessee. The reason for the trip being so "momentous" was that I have successfully avoided "going home" since I moved to Tennessee over 6 and 1/2 years ago. Partially, I was running away and avoiding my reality. Clinically we call it something like denial or unresolved grief stuff. I made plans after plans to return to the area in these 6 years, but never followed through. This time...I did. I was ready.

Jim and the pups were there to cheer me on and be my support system and they were there to add light and joy from my present as I confronted some of my Past. My trip back home actually did more good than I can say. My good friend Sarah said it right...it was closure for me. It was a pausing to reflect and a moving forward, which I effectively delayed for 6 1/2 years. Truth is...anytime beforehand, I probably wasn't ready for it. I was ready this time. Ready to conquer fears and continue to grow. I didn't cry when I got to the house, but I did cry when it was appropriate - all in all, I got the closure I needed to move on with my life.

NOW you might ask - what did we do for fun? Well...

Easton has amazing FOOD finds, and we indulged in a culinary walk down memory lane:
Jimmy's Hot Dogs (25th Street Shopping Center - still amazing)
Colonial Pizza (OMG - best EVER - upside down pizza seen here!)
Maryland Fried Chicken (still my favorite type)
Williams' Restaurant's Rice Pudding (still delicious)
Chicken Croquets (salmon who?)
Sal's Pizza (still classic)
Friendly's Restaurant's Sundaes (who ordered the cheese?).


Easton is home to the Crayola Factory and "fun center" - which is really fun if you have kids. I do not have kids and I liked it quite a bit, but it would have been more fun with the tikes.
Easton also has a PEZ Museum - which I don't think is worth paying for, but some people do. You still can buy some neato discontinued pez dispensers and such.

Easton is only 1 hour and 10 minutes from NYC baby! We rushed in...rushed around inside the MOMA (try seeing a ton of art in 90 minutes). We did get to see some stunning and well-known works by Warhol, Lichtenstein, Eames, Pollock and Wyeth; but also some suprises from Seurat (anyone who knows me knows I love him), Monet and believe it or not...Starry Night by Van Gogh! It was fun, but next time we'll plan for more time. We ended our day at Brasserie Les Halles, the home base of the always interesting Anthony Bourdain. We had to go there, I'm a sucker for good food from somewhat celebrity chefs. It didn't disappoint! Especially the pommes frittes (french fries), which I heard Mr. Bourdain identify as "THE best". Okay, yeah...they were. We ordered another side of them. If you go...eat them!
Easton is near Dorney Park and Wild Water Kingdom - the amusement park of my childhood which is actually still really awesome!!!!

Most importantly, Easton is where my father and my family are. That is where my best friend from high school, Jenn is. I got to be with my Dad & Dolores, my brother and sis-in-law, Donna, Travis and his new girlfriend and spend time with Miss Kim. It is home; but not fully-home. Which I now know is okay. My Mom lives on in me. Importantly though, I forged new bonds with the old links and reconnected with those I love and care about deeply. I didn't get to see everyone I wanted...I just needed to get here and I did.

Now, I have plans to come back every year and you bet I'll be seeing you soon :)

For more random pics - click on the link to Jim's Flickr page - Jim supplied the pics, Anna supplied the babble here.