Our Last Day in Europe Together

August 14, 2013

Holly here:  I woke this morning with the realization that today would be our last day together in Europe.  Mom leaves tomorrow morning for Canada and I stay for one more week.  Today is a sad and happy day...bittersweet?

Our plans for the day are laundry, napping in the sun, updating the blog notes and the blog and finally an evening at Lony and Jemp's.  Dinner and a movie!

This trip has been so amazing and it is hard to describe how wonderful it has been to walk down memory lane with Mom and her friends.  Yes, I'm tearing up a little here.  If you are fortunate enough in that your parents are still alive and well, take the time to ask about their life history...before you. You will be surprised.  If you have the means, travel with them back in time.  You will connect more closely with them as people, not just as parents.

Mom, thank you so very much for initiating, coordinating and making this trip possible.  You were right.  My perspective has been altered forever and our time here will be one of those cherished memories that will last my lifetime.

I love you very much!

xo Holly

Holly's Mom here: We are a couple of sappy folks here today. Holly is off getting the Kleenices and I'm here thinking just about the same as she is. This trip has been unbelievable on so many levels - it's hard to put those levels in any kind of priority but here goes -

Travelling with Holly is always a treat, we've done it a few times now and we always have fun. She has now heard about parts of my life BK and BH - Before Krista and Before Holly. She has seen her mother through others' eyes as well.

Seeing old friends and hearing what we have all been doing over these past years has been quite fascinating too. We did neat stuff back then but our lives since then have been pretty interesting too.

And we have met new friends too and learned about their lives.

Visiting old sites and seeing how they have changed over time but somehow seemed the same with ghosts of past fun and games has been wonderful.

Regrets are that our collective memories are getting dim about a lot of stuff but even though the films we play in our heads may be embellished or not exactly accurate, it doesn't matter because it's the emotions they invoke that really count.

So Holly, you still have another week to go and will be in the excellent and caring hands of an old dear friend of mine and a new dear friend of ours. Just keep those posts and photos coming 'cause I'll be waiting and reading.

I love you too.
Mom.x

PS - I sure wish I had done this kind of trip with my Mom!