If this title has you humming the theme song to Mr. Rogers, then you’re in the right mood for this post.
When someone hears the word “neighborhood” it usually conjures a warm fuzzy feeling or a “I wouldn’t go there even if I had an armored car” sentiment. It evokes a strong feeling, either way.
But how many neighborhoods (outside our own) have we truly experienced? How many neighborhoods in our own community do we pass judgment on or completely ignore? I don’t know about you, but when I travel to a city I specifically seek neighborhoods rather than tourist areas. Why? Because if you want to understand a city, that’s where you’ll find its heart & soul. When it comes to my own hometown, however, I’m woefully ignorant.
You know that sage advice our mothers supposedly passed on to all daughters: “always wear clean underwear in case you’re in an accident.” Well, that popped into my head this week when I was thinking about what clothes I would pack if I had to evacuate quickly. This is especially important if I anticipate staying in a temporary shelter. It’s an easy decision for me, since I’d pack exactly what I bring on all my travels. And the MOST important article of clothing is of course the underwear.
Mother nature reminds us mere mortals once again that we are at her mercy. We may have dodged Hurricane Harvey in Southwest Louisiana, but we have not escaped the repercussions of this disastrous storm. Our “almost Banff turned New Hampshire” trip has been cancelled, due to the fact that we can’t fly out of Houston (as originally scheduled) and there were no good options out of New Orleans. That & the fact that our own city might see some serious flooding if this rain doesn’t let up.
I could sit here feeling sorry for myself & racked by guilt for feeling this way while loved ones in Texas are experiencing such devastation, but I won’t. Instead, I’ll share our “not-to-be” Labor Day trip to New Hampshire in hopes that someone may enjoy a beautiful hike in the White Mountains.
