Saturday husband and I took his Aunt V out to eat for her 96th birthday.  She hasn’t been out of her apartment other than for doctor appointments since she came home from the hospital in early summer.   She was all dressed up and ready to go when we went up to collect her from her apartment.  She’s not walking very well and we had to rest a few times on the way down to the lobby and the waiting car.  But she made it and was very glad to get out into the fresh air.  It was a beautiful day, sunny and warm.  The roses out in front of her building were in full bloom – just for her.

We took her to a small town about 30 minutes away, so she could enjoy the drive.  Some of the trees are beginning to turn, the sky was blue and filled with big white puffy clouds.  The promised rain never materialized.

After dinner husband told her it was too nice a day to head back home, so we went for a drive.  After more than an hour of driving through the country she asked where we were.   We were nearing water and he told her we were in Mackinac City.  “Really?” she asked!  He laughed and said no…then she started recognizing some things, like the Black River where she and her husband once moored their boat, an old hotel where they used to stay.  We were in Port Huron, on the eastern shore of Michigan.

More than sixty years ago, as a young wife, she and her husband used to boat from Saginaw down to Port Huron on weekends.  She hadn’t been back in many years.  Amazingly she recognized quite a bit of the town.  We sat at the waterfront and watched boats go by, including a very large ore boat which nimbly slid under the bridge and past us surprisingly fast.

I fell in love with the Great Lakes all over again.

We all had a great time.  I’m pretty sure she slept well last night.

Then this morning I met a friend of mine who is in town for a family wedding.  She and I used to run together before she moved far away back in 1996.  We haven’t seen each other in 13 years, but it was as if we’d never been apart, even though we haven’t been in touch much beyond the annual Christmas card all these years.

We went back to the neighborhood where I used to live and where we used to run a couple times a week after work.  As we walked the old route, noticing changes in the houses and gardens, we talked and talked, just like we used to do when we ran.  We talked about the way things used to be, the things that have happened in our lives, the way things are today.  We both got a bit teary-eyed over losses in each of our lives, we voiced regrets and triumphs and hopes.  We passed the house I used to own and commented that it was still a great neighborhood.

After our walk we went out to breakfast and talked and talked.  Catching up on so much takes some time!  We weren’t finished talking when we were finished eating, so we went for another walk through an old neighborhood behind the restaurant.  Another couple of miles under our belt and I don’t think we were finished talking yet, but we both had other things we needed to do.

Sadly we said goodbye and promised that it would not be 13 years before we saw each other again.  In fact we just might run the big race together again next August.   The first time either of us ran the 10 mile race was together.  It’s probably been 20 years but we think, just maybe, that we can do it again.

I hope so.  It will give us some time to talk.  Because we didn’t discuss nearly everything we have to say!  Thanks P.  I know you’re reading this.  It was so good to see you again.  I miss you already.

Safe trip home.