Working on the photo wall means reliving so many great moments in my life. For many years my sister and I were the youngest grandchildren on my mother's side of the family. Since my grandfather retired when I was about 5 years old, that meant we got time with them that the other grandchildren never had a chance at getting.
I remember going on more than one vacation with my grandparents. We went to Florida. On that trip we visited a cousin and spent time at the beach. We also took in a few historical sites. My mother wasn't much for the heat of the beach but she tolerated it for us kids. My grandmother wasn't much for the sand or sun so I guess she stayed in the hotel. My grandfather loved the sand, the sun and the whole experience.
On another trip we went to Mackinac Island and on into Canada. I have more vivid memories of that trip. There was the ferry ride over to the island. We would get up in the morning and go to "The Fort" for an amazing array of breakfast foods on the buffet. Then we would get our tickets and ride over for the day. Riding on the top level of the ferry meant getting wet but it also meant wind in your face and so much noise you couldn't carry on a conversation. Riding on the lower level meant that it felt damp but there was no wind and no water spraying your face; still it was so noisy you couldn't carry on a conversation.
When we got into Canada we quickly discovered that Canadian beef tasted nothing like American beef. We determined it to be a result of how their cows were fed. Once we navigated the "my dinner doesn't taste right" issue we moved on to the main event--a trip to Agawa Canyon to ride on the Algoma Central Railway. It was the first time we kids had ever been on a train. For my parents and grandparents it was like a trip back to the days of riding a train to cross the country. It was a beautiful ride; unfortunately I dozed off during that train ride. In my defense it was an all day trip and the rocking of the train was a bit like a cradle.
We made some other trips, smaller ones. What stands out about all of these trips? Well, we always prayed the Rosary as a big family. My grandparents worked to keep us kids happy and agreed to do things they might not have wanted to do otherwise. Each trip we took started off with someone saying "On the Road Again!" just like the Willie Nelson song. And while each trip took a toll on the whole notion of "family togetherness" I think we all look back now and think "I'm so glad we did it."
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