October 18, Saturday – Home

When I reached Chehalis I quit last night. From Longview to La Conner is a little under four hours but since I left Mary at 4:30, I didn’t want to drive through the heart of the Puget Sound cities at night so dropping anchor along the freeway was not a difficult decision. But the desire to get to my community of Shelter Bay on Fidalgo Island got me on the freeway at 7 in the morning. Driving up the interstate with familiar landmarks caused a sense of neutrality. The emotion and feelings of ending 30 weeks on the road with the US border always on my starboard side were placid. I felt numb; I just drove like I had been month after month. The first sign of emotion that bubbled to the surface was when I past the county line with announcement that I was now in my beloved Skagit County. I felt a deeply satisfying smile spread across my face as I laid on the horn to proclaim a milestone. Peeling off the freeway at Exit 221 Conway/La Conner still didn’t produce a burst of euphoria. I didn’t question my feelings; I just marveled at the beauty of the place where I lived as I have done so many times before. It had never been hard to come home to the Skagit Valley for me. On Fir Island all the crops were in except for a few cabbage trucks on Dodge Valley Road. The small traffic circle at the entrance to town with the farm produce stand to the south represented the rural setting of my place. Crossing the Rainbow Bridge from the mainland to the island I glanced habitually over to see the schooner, Rejoice, tied up behind the Calico Cupboard. Because the folks that were house sitting my place had not yet found another place to dwell, I drove to the marina parking lot and stopped for the last time and just sat. Hannah answered her phone with her always cheerful voice when I called to tell her I was finally home. Within minutes a home family welcoming party arrived for massive hugs all around. The last photos were taken and then what to do next was discussed. Well, it seems as though everyone was headed to the pumpkin patch when I called. Without skipping a beat, the Jetta was dropped and the welcoming party hopped aboard Snee-Oosh and off to Gordon’s Farm laughing and talking at once. This is why I am in love with my place of home. A setting of family and friend unrivaled by any that I saw on my travels around the United State; lush farmland rich with harvest, backed by the snow capped North Cascade Mountains with Mount Baker serving as the king of the throne and the saltwater of the Salish Sea pushing through the archipelago San Juan Islands. As I have said so many times on this journey of a lifetime – I am so blessed. Welcome Home, Ron
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