Travel

 You might think that her children would get the most of Nan's attention. Absolutely NOT! We were not jealous of the other people in Nan's life it came with the territory of having a mother with the heart as big as the continent of Central and South America times 10. Most years the extent of her travels were to the coastline of New Jersey sometimes Maryland. One year Nan and her sister were determined to make it to Ireland, the land of their ancestors. My sister, Nan's sister and her two daughters made a plan to fly to Ireland, then drive far and wide to the cities of their dreams.

On March 12, 1990 they hopped on the plane after months of planning. None of the ladies had been there but they knew how to read a map.There were tours planned in larger cities, hotels we part of the tours. Nan's philosophy for everyone was " Your birthday is the day just for you because you are special. Mary, her sister's daughter knew it was her birthday but did not expect anyone to remember. Different country, different cultures. When she walked down the steps to breakfast, Nan had her place setting completely covered in Birthday regalia. Nan's suitcase was full of hats, banners, sequined party hat. Everyone bursting into a chorus of Happy Birthday Mary. She was so surprised but it was to be expected - no matter where, no matter how Nan will make you feel special. Nan's gift to Mary was an Irish Dancer Music Box that sits on her bureau. She plays it with loving thoughts of their adventure together.

A year later the same sister decided to go to Okinawa to see her son and asked Nan to go along. The flight was Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Hong Kong then Japan. For two inexperienced travelers it seemed like a week. Her son was in the Navy, and could not wait to take his mother and favorite aunt on tours. Nan was 65 with her sister being 60. They acted like two 12 year old screaming and gasping at the sights and sounds of this foreign culture. They tasted all the different types of tea, feasted on delicacies of the region and tried chopsticks which created laughter at every meal. Up every day at 6 am with goals to see more, eat more, enjoy more. One week later they were on the plane back to America. At the time I was living in a west coast state. They made a two day stop to see me. Did I ever tell you Nan was a smoker? If I did not Nan was a smoker all of her life. When she came to my house she lit a cigarette. My husband hated smoking, especially in the house. Coming home from a business trip he walks in the house and confronts my mother with a cigarette in her mouth. He looked at me, started shouting, "No Smoking in My House."I promptly said, "She has been my mother for 42 years you have been my husband for 6 years-guess who is going to win?" Nan did what she wanted, when she wanted, where she wanted, whenever she wanted when it came to family. After 3 days she was gone to her home. If Nan asked me to jump off a bridge I would say "Which One". I adored her and she could do no wrong. My husband asked me the next day - from one to ten what number AM I? I said you are not #1 guess who that belongs to?

A few years later Nan's other sister asked her to go to Florida to see her son who was being honored at an Air Force Base. Nan's sister traveled less than she did. Now Nan was 68 and her sister was 65. These ladies did not know how to travel but they also did not know how to book a flight. The boarded a plane in Philadelphia, changed planes in Harrisburg, changed planes Atlanta with a  two hour delay and then on to Florida. There was one problem. Have you ever been to the Atlanta airport? Have you ever been to the Atlanta airport in a wheelchair? Both women were in a wheel chair with one man pushing them both. They walked off the plane in Atlanta and were rushed to an elevator, to a tram to another terminal, up another elevator to a new gate. Once at the gate they were told their flight was cancelled. Back onto an elevator, another tram two terminals away, back up on an elevator to their final gate. When you are sitting in a wheelchair in the busiest airport in the world you feel like a cockroach with the whole world chasing you. Two weeks in Florida and then the return trip home.

UP IN THE AIR!