Perfect Day for a Drive

Today, my mother and I got in the shiny new CR-V and drove (and drove and drove) to Harrisonburg, where my brother and his wife are living with her sister's family. It was a long drive, but that's what cruise control is for! They live right off the highway so it was very easy to find. The purpose of this trip was to take them out to lunch for my sister-in-law's birthday.

Apparently, this is a good time to visit the historic little city. James Madison University is right in the middle of town, but the main school session is over for the summer. We went to this cute little tea house for lunch, then my brother drove us to a Mennonite flea market, then past the place where he works and through historic Staunton (don't pronounce the 'u' or they'll have a fit) and up to another flea market and then to this little Asian place for dinner. Whew!

I always love spending time with my brother. I suppose it helps that we were close in age and so could grow up relatively together, and manage to be friends at the end. We talked about our aunt moving, how we wish my grandmother would move also (just out of the unsafe neighborhood she is in), and they told us about the house they want to buy and their plans for four children. (Yikes!)

My brother is a very practical guy, a trait of his that I greatly admire and wish I had. His wife is just the same; not frivolous, able to tell what is needed from what is wanted. I met her in middle school, we were in the same violin class. She is a wonderful lady and I love her dearly.

I have a limited exposure to their relationship, because we all live so far away from each other, but from what I see, they have an ideal. They talk to each other and listen to each other and make plans together. My brother's marriage is a partnership, exactly as I expect a marriage to be. I am happy that they found each other. We should all be so lucky.