Taking the back roads

On Friday I was off to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, to visit with my aunts, my father's remaining siblings. Aunts Frannie, Mildred and Edene gathered together in Aunt Frannie's new apartment, Mildred having come from Arizona and Edene from Michigan. My cousin, Jim, who drove his mother there from Michigan, and my cousins, Donna and Mary, who live in Cedar Rapids near their mother, were also there. There, now you can create a portion of my family tree and that should make it all very clear. Or, you could have skipped this first paragraph altogether, but it's too late for that. I have always loved these dear aunts of mine, and this trip gave me an opportunity to know them better.

Consistent with my recent advice to avoid I35, I took a route through Rochester, Minnesota (and yes, I hid my face as I drove through, carefully not doing anything to call attention to myself). Two lane roads were predominate, but that was no problem, as there was little traffic. On the return trip, engrossed as I was with Alexander McCall Smith's latest No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency book (the recorded version), I found myself on a hilly and winding, but lovely, road that was unfamiliar to me. Checking I found I had somehow left Highway 63 for County Road 1. Which county? I have no idea, but it was in Minnesota. As I was still traveling north (thank heaven for my car's compass), I continued on the way. Only one tractor slowed my progress.

I have decided that I love traveling the byways. My gas mileage is wonderful and what's an additional half hour or so? After all, I'm retired. I have lots of time.