Choo Choo to California

I'm back home again after a lovely time with my family in California. I took the bus to Seattle and hopped a train to Olympia where I where I disembarked and spent the night with my sister Lori who became my traveling companion and roommate for the next five days. We travelled from Olympia to Sacramento - a mere 20 hour journey on Amtrak. Listen, if you want to make a memory, grab a sister and hop on board a train. It was a hoot. Uncomfortable as all get out, but a hoot nonetheless. We even made paper roses and did other crafts (like crochet) to pass the time as we visited away. Lori made a nice pillow as we tried to sleep. (No, she didn't make a pillow, she served as one). We arrived at our destination at 6:00 a.m. Friday morning where we were greeted by Sister Bruce (I mean Becky) and her hubby Bruce who took us out for a morning Starbucks. We stayed at Becky's Stay-cation Resort and had lovely accommodations.

On the first night we all went out to a Bohemian restaurant for dinner. We got all dolled up with lots of big jewelry and blousy blouses and scarves around our necks. Well, some of us did. We decided that some of us are Bohemian by nature and others - well, they're just not. You know who you are. We've also decided that a percentage of our family suffers from musical tourettes. The problem is that some of us can sing like Sigls and others like seagulls (and we know who we are). We seem to bring that out in each other in a big way. There is nothing in this world that can make me laugh as hard as being with my sisters. Somehow I didn't get a picture of us all together.

Lori

Becky

Niece Kristin, Sandra and Manuela (my brother Jeff's wife)

The real star of the show was my Mom Eileen and along with Dad, the biggest reasons I endured the train ride. It did my heart good to see them. They are as cute together as ever. Mom has the great reputation of always smiling and being sweet. She lives in her God-given dignity of being a Spirit filled beautiful woman of faith. I made her a little throw in her favorite color.

My friend Sheila wrote a poem for me while I was away that I would like to share with you. I think it is beautiful and it means a lot to me. Maybe one of my Sigl-singing sisters would be able to set it to music.

Remember Me

.

Perhaps she may forget your face,

yet you'll remember hers.

She may not understand your smile

though your heart will yearn for hers.

.

In time you'll mourn for what's been lost

and grieve for what will be.

But your mind will be her album

to recall what she can't see.

.

So when you long for just a flicker

as you wrap her in your gift.

Remember that the mind may fade,

but the spirit will not drift..