We spent the entire day and most of the night with my mom “out in the country.” She and my step dad have lived out there for nearly 20 years, and most of the time growing up we lived ‘out in the country.’

I have never loved ‘living out in the country.’ My mother refers to me as her ‘concrete baby.’ And I’m not sure why I didn’t like the country as most of the time growing up you could find me outside, walking here, walking there, roaming in the jungle in Guam, trekking miles each day to and from friends’ houses.

I guess the reason why is that the country is a place where you make your own place. You aren’t plugging into another person, another activity, something else to ‘keep you busy.’

The day had two focuses…I would help my Lelon clean out his woodworking shop (he’s a craftsman that makes stunning rustic furniture), and Mark would help mom and Lelon come into the 21st century with high speed internet. It was a very big day out in the country to say the least!

The very best part of being ‘out in the country’ was watching Chance be with mom in her workshop, watching Food Network’s Cake Master Bake Off, and remembering what it was like when it was me in the chair next to her watching some chick flick for the 20th time (Baby Boom, A Star is Born, etc., etc.), and how the more things change, the more things stay the same.

Plus, we had banana pudding that was to die for…and Chance made a pillow with big long beads on it that he has named “Charm,” which reminds me how much our life is charmed no matter what is going on when we drink in these precious moments.

Oh, and mom lives with her windows open, so there’s always a cool breeze that blows through the house. I love that feeling of air on my body that is cool from outside coming through the room. Simple things, simple life.