The Trip

After our anniversary trip last week we had much to do 'round the new old house so my blogging has been on hold. And in case you hadn't heard, The Mr., The Guys & The Girl Singer will be at Baxter's Saturday....

So we went to Battle Creek (romantic vacation destination of the stars) and to Marshall. The Mr. was feeling like doing a little bit of exploring and although there was nothing spectacular happening in Battle Creek, we had a beautiful hotel room with a jacuzzi and it's a relatively pleasant town so that's where Sunday evening was spent. We ate at Cracker Barrel. No candle light but I think I recall kerosene lanterns on the tables. I had the chicken and dumplings, he had the roast beef. We are simple folk.

Actually, on the way to Battle Creek we stopped in Marshall to have the Shueler's Sunday brunch, which was as always, fabulous.

On Monday we proceeded back to Marshall to our yearly National House Inn B & B stay. It was wonderful just like we knew it would be. We stayed in the same room, the Brooke's Suite, with the fireplace and the claw foot tub. Being a Monday there were only two other rooms booked and we had the entire wing of the second floor to ourselves. We played Chinese Checkers and Yahtzee in the up stairs sitting room and went to a local pub for burgers for dinner. And I indulged in my dirty little secret, I love beer. There, I've said it. Actually, I have never had beer but I love O'Doul's and I had that with my bar burger. We really live on the edge. The Mr. does not like beer or any facsimile thereof so he had a diet. We bummed around downtown Marshall and I'm sad to say that like the rest of the country, our little anniversary town is feeling the economic slump too. The first year we went to Marshall we ate at Georgio's, now out of business. Last year we ate at the Midtown Grill, also now out of business. More than a few of the antique shops are empty and "for lease" signs out number stores on Main Street. We struggled to find a restaurant to have dinner at after Shueler's. In fact, it was the pub attached to Shueler's that we ended up in for bar burgers.

The coffee shop in the back of the funky clothing store is gone.

The gourmet food shop is gone.

Georgio's and the Midtown Grill (where I received my second ring) are gone.

And in a way, so go our touchstones. We peeked in the windows and were sad for the people wmet there, who made our last three anniversaries so extra special.

The Mole Hole, our favorite Marshall stop, is still there I am happy to report. They are a sort of glorified Hallmark store with unusual items and half of the place is dedicated to Christmas. Every year the Mr. buys my mom, my sister and myself a charm to add to our necklaces. They are discs with a word on them like "love", "family", etc. This year we each got one that says "daughter" and I got my special one..."commitment." Daughter seemed appropriate since both of the grandmas have passed in the last year, but my mom is still a daughter.

We always buy a Christmas ornament at the Mole Hole, my favorites being Christopher Radko. I never get tired of them, they seem so wintry magical to me. Don't ask me what that means, it's just true. This year is was an ornament shaped like a bag of coffee beans. Last year was a shiny taco to symbolize our Christmas Eve Mexican tradition.

I also got a plaque for my office, "I have flying monkeys and I'm not afraid to use them."

I bought some Lavender bath salts from another favorite, Serendipity, and took a long soak in the claw foot tub and fell asleep with the fireplace keeping us toasty in the old brass bed.

On Tuesday we enjoyed the complimentary breakfast in the antique-filled dining room. The usual fare; waffles, quiche, home made bread, fruit and strong coffee served on old china and with linen napkins.

All of this probably sounds like a terrific bore but when October rolls around it seems to be just what we need. We never stroll down Main Street making plans for cruises or resorts next year. We always end up talking about Christmas plans and painting the kitchen and the stuff that makes up our boring lives the other 51 weekends a year.

As we were leaving the Inn keeper waved us off saying, "See you next year for number 23!" I hope so. With God's grace, we'll check in to the National House Inn and drop our bags in the Brooke's Suite before heading out to Main Street for a chilly stroll and a bar burger. I pray that in a year the "for lease" signs will be gone and that families will have found a way to once again open businesses and coffee shops. I hope there is a light on inside of Georgios and we can snuggle up at a table for two in the tiny dining room.

I hope that the Mole Hole is still there, although I could purchase an ornament anywhere. I want my 2009 ornament from the same place as the rest of my anniversary collection.

We are equal parts extravagantly blessed and terrifyingly fragile.

Deuteronomy 4:40 Thou shalt keep therefore his statutes, and his commandments, which I command thee this day, that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee, and that thou mayest prolong thy days upon the earth, which the LORD thy God giveth thee, for ever.