Today’s prompt, “what unexpected path have you taken,” works so well with my project for this LOAD. Sean and I went on a HUGE summer vacation in 2017. We drove from California to Michigan. We then drove back to California, picking up John and seeing National Parks all across the Western United States.
There were lots of unexpected paths that we took along the way, but the most unexpected path was the Herbert Hoover National Historic Site, in Iowa. We had no idea that we were going here. The plan was to meet my husband in Omaha late that evening, and we were only going to look for Pokemon cards while we were there. There were no plans to really DO anything.
As we were driving down Highway 80, I saw a sign for the Herbert Hoover National Historic Site. I had no idea! There was a more information radio station, so I started to listen. It told me that the historic site was a mere 3 blocks from the highway! I made the decision then and there. We were going. It was still early in the day and we were making great time. It seemed like the natural choice.
Let me just say, what an incredible place! There is the ancestral home, of course, but really the whole little town was there. The blacksmith, the school, just about anything you could want was there! I know that Sean was really more interested with playing Pokemon, but after awhile, even he was full of questions! The blacksmith was very patient with him, and eventually answered them all!
As we continued around the site, we found the Presidential Library! I’ve never seen a Presidential Library, and honestly, I was very sad that we didn’t have enough time to actually go inside and visit. We spent money in the store, but that was it. Everyone we met was super friendly.
Today, I just really used my ephemera. Sometimes, that’s what it’s about. It’s not a design, it really is the memories. That is what I love most about LOAD. It doesn’t matter what your LO looks like, how many minutes you worked on it, or your subject. It’s all about the memories. I love that the story really is the most important thing.
Since I may not do another page about this day, here are some other things I remember:
- I had a really hard time getting Sean off my phone. He took over the Pokegym at the Post Office. At one point he disappeared with my phone, and I was clueless as to where he was. I was so glad when he finally came back. He then lost access to my phone.
- There was a post office right next to the Welcome Center. They had the Solar Eclipse stamps, and the commemorative envelope. The woman who worked there hand stamped my postcard for me, and sold me enough stamps to get through the end of the trip.
- The blacksmith told us a lot about how the shop was a working shop. They made things to sell in the Welcome Center. There were differences between how the different blacksmiths made their products. The blacksmith who was working that day did not have anything for sale in the shop. We looked. We had planned on buying something if it had been his.
- Sean was really pissed about doing the Junior Ranger program. I was thrilled. You learn so much about the parks doing the program. In the end, I forced him to finish, and he earned his badge.
- It really is three blocks from the freeway, but it feels like a million miles away. You can’t really hear the traffic going by. It was so calm and peaceful there. I was sad to leave.
Speak Your Mind