Home at last!

Fifty six hours on an Amtrak train, and we are now home. It was actually 28 hours there and 28 hours back. It actually wasn't bad at all! I don't enjoy flying, as I like to be grounded, and traveling this way was more comfortable than a plane too. You can stretch out and sleep, and get up and walk around a lot. There is a dining car, where you can eat meals, and you can get out at some of the stops and walk around. At this stop (pictured above), we were in Shelby, Montana. Miranda ran around in circles, and got some of her energy out. There were around 35 stops between Seattle and Devils Lake, North Dakota where my relatives live. We met so many interesting people on the train, from a buddhist monk, to a couple taking a trip from Washington state to the mall of America in Minnesota because it was something they had on their bucket list. And then there was also the cutest older man with a strong english accent that couldn't wait until it was 7:30am on the timetable (his words), so that he could get out in Rugby, North Dakota and take a picture, because he was from Rugby, England. The trip was fast, and went well. It was a huge family reunion, and I got to see every one of my cousins that I hadn't seen in 20 years! My grandmothers funeral was beautiful, and I believe she is with the Lord now. My grandma was one of 17 children, and there are only two sisters left. I got to meet Rose, her younger, 90 year old sister. She was very sweet and when asked if she knew the key to longevity, she said she once heard that there are 3 things you need to do to live a long life-go barefoot, drink sour milk, and never get married!

I would take the train again in a heartbeat! It wasn't bad at all, I got a lot of handmade projects done, enjoyed conversations with people, my brother, and Miranda, and got some reading in too! And who knows, I might just start a bucket list too, and take a trip over to the mall of America myself. What fun that would be!