East Coast Here I Come!
As I make ready to take off for visits to both Washington D.C., and Boston Massachusetts, I've been thinking about my roots in the U.S. east coast, long before I escaped to California (1986) and thence to Canada (2004).
I grew up in the tiny,self-important hamlet of Uxbridge Massachusetts. I am reasonably certain there are entire large cities with shorter Wiki entries than Uxbridge and I now know more than ever before about its illustrious history. However, the reality of it was quite dull growing up and I couldn't wait to get away. My mother's most effective threat to me as a slightly wild teenager was, " Just don't get pregnant, whatever you do. You'll have to spend the rest of your life in Uxbridge." I took her at her word. Next week I'm planning on revisiting Uxbridge with my Dad, for the first time since I left. Or at least the first time since I was in my early 20's. I'm sure much has changed.
So off I went to Washington, to college and thereafter to live. It was everything Uxbridge was not, I must say. It was an amazing smorgasboard of people, ideas, cultures and possibilities. If you can't find it in Washington, you can't find it, period -- which made it a good place for me to experiment with different ways of being (and distance myself from my childhood). I suspect it is still rich with the unexpected, and in fact on this visit I'm looking forward to being exposed to Roller Derby, of all things. I'm very excited about staying with CarrieNation and Dabysan and visiting with my brother and his niece. Washington does Spring better than almost anyplace, although I think I missed the cherry blossoms.
Despite having grown up in Massachusetts, I know next to nothing about Boston, but this trip may help fill in that gap, because I'm winding it up with a stay at the Copley Place Marriott in that esteemed city with my Mom. She's in her 80's, but can outperform me on the rowing machine, not to mention contests of wills. I'm looking forward to exploring Newbury Street, a shopping mecca, in particular. (She can also out-shop me.)
Unfortunately, I'm missing the best of all possible weeks in Victoria and missing the visit of my all time favorite singer,
Leonard Cohen, on what might actually be his last live tour. Not to mention missing Mr. Salamander, who will be staying home to hold the fort.
But it's going to be great.
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