The Long Trip Home

It's always sad to leave our families after a good stay, the only virtue being we are headed home to Chautauqua, not Hudson.  It's early morning, Rami is up, as he flies to Austin, Texas at 7:00 and Evie is up too, making breakfast for all when they arise.  It's still pitch black, not a hint of light, as I sit here, listening to her move pots and pans around in the kitchen.  I hope the kids are not too wiped out from Halloween; I know Mitch could not get to sleep, and Evie even went in an lay down with him around 10:30 to see if that would help.  And Marisa was so wild when she went to bed, so pumped up from an evening of friends and candy.  Only Tyler seemed himself, unaffected by everything, his solid self.  The party really went well, lots of people, kids, good food, and conversation.  Beth was the perfect hostess, attentive but also able to have a good time.  It was fun to see both Beth and Rami give such a neat party for the neighbors.  I talked quite a bit with Nancy's husband, Ken, and their next door neighbor, the doctor who treated Tyler, quite a talker, fast and non stop but a good guy.  I do remember Beth mentioning how her neighbor, Lulu had a reputation for staying at parties quite late, and yesterday evening seemed to be no exception.  When I went to bed, she seemed in rare form, massaging my hand, worrying about how cold it seemed, talking and talking and talking, in the kitchen with Beth and Lettie.  Rami and Lulu's husband were in watching the Steelers game and he seemed like a good guy.  I watched for about a half hour then went to bed around 10:30, though I had a hard time getting to sleep, despite the fact I was tired, and ironically, I awoke at 4:30 but did not get up out of bed till 5:30, not early enough to beat Rami up, however.  The house is quiet, as Rami just left, the lull before the storm of awakening kids.  Later.