HOMETOWN VISIT

Before heading north to our hometown, we attended Mass at a beautiful, small church similarly named after our current parish.  :) 

Holy Family, pray for us!

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REMINISCING

Heading up the NY State Thruway, the familiar sight of the NY DOT salt domes reminded us of our childhood winters in the Catskill Mountains.

 

Campsite in the mountains

 In between visiting family and eating truly delicious, NY-style, Italian food,

we rode around to see our ol' stompin' ground:

Drove by my grandparents' house (getting new windows) where I spent most of my childhood years

Took the kids to the high school where Mechanic Man & I attended to show them my name on the plaque in the lobby for graduating as valedictorian:

Visited both sets of grandparents' graves.  Mechanic Man's grandparents' tombstone was covered with moss that grew over the 32 years, so he and the boys cleaned it up.  What a difference!

 Thoroughly enjoyed the scenery of the view of the mountains:

One of my childhood memories was the ROCKS of the Catskills.  My grandparents' house (pictured above) had a HUGE, slanted rock that we played on as kids along with a rock fireplace out in the backyard.    I used to jump off rock walls as a kid, trying to fly.   Even houses were built with rocks (like my grandparents'). 

Rocks like these are certainly not something we see where we currently live, and jumping off rock walls is nothing I will do anytime soon.  However, I did climb up on one for old time's sake.  :)

We had a great time reminiscing in our hometown and visiting our family.  Now it's time to visit a state none of us have ever been to before:  Rhode Island.