A little bit more........

When I post at work I can't always get pictures to load. So, I wanted to share with everyone my Aunt and Uncle. Behind my Uncles shoulder was their camper. We went everywhere in that little thing.

For day trips we would go up into the foothills near Big Bear in Southern Cal. There was a little town up there who was known for it's apple orchards. There was an amazing little cafe that made the best apple crisp in the world. They also had a little farm with goats. We used to get such a kick out of the little guys. They would come right up to the fence and let us pet them.

If we were really adventurous we would spend a few days camping up at Big Bear. On one trip we took our fishing gear and headed up into the mountains. My Uncle said he knew about a great fishing spot. We walked and walked for hours. He kept promising us that the lake was just over the next hill. At a few of the hill tops we saw some of the most amazing lakes off in the distance. But as night was closing in we had to turn back. Our lake seemed to evade us. But on the way back we stopped at this lodge. It was out in the middle of no where. My aunt and uncle ordered a cup of coffee and the waitress made me a cup of hot cocoa. The nicest people sat down and chatted with us. I remember one of the people was an old cowboy. He even told me I could call him Uncle Jim. It was an amazing end to a very fun day. It didn't matter that we never found that lake.

We had another favorite town that we would go to. Bishop, California. We went up there all the time. We camped or stayed at a Hobo motel. ( I can't remember the name of the hotel but their logo was a hobo) For my Aunt and Uncle's 25th Anniversary we went up there. They asked me what I wanted to do for dinner (it was their anniversary dinner remember) and me, being the total kid that I was said that I wanted to have peanut butter and marshmallow fluff sandwiches in the hotel - picnic style. We also needed to have oreos and milk. So my aunt and uncle happily went to the grocery store. Got all the necessary picnic foods and there we sat on the hotel room floor having an anniversary picnic.

For their 50th Anniversary I sent them a package with all of the same ingredients.

They taught me to fish and to take pictures. They bought me my first camera and then took me out on a road trip so I could learn to use it. I have slides of the trip to the elusive lake. Including a picture of Uncle Jim and the lodge we stopped in. I have to have them transferred to film or put in digital form. They actually were amazing pictures.

Because my favorite color was green they surprised me with a little fishing pole that was of course green. Their favorite color is blue. And it has always been a joke between us. My aunt will say "you turned out okay, little Becca, except what on earth did we do wrong that you like GREEEEEEEN?" "You're supposed to like blue."

We have the same joke going about Coke vs. Pepsi. They are hard core Pepsi drinkers. I prefer Coke. When I go to visit them they always get me some coke but they tease me about how hard it was to pick it up off the shelf and put it in their cart. They also make sure there are Oreo's in the house.

As soon as I get to their home I give them big hugs and kisses. And then as soon as I can I do two things. I go into the kitchen and smell their pantry. I don't know what is in there, or why it smells the way it does but it is a smell that triggers a million memories. I have only once smelled it outside their home and the wave of thoughts that hit me was amazingly powerful. Secondly, I go wash my hands with their soap. They use a soap I can't ever seem to find in the store but the scent is so distinct and so them. It triggers the same rush of memories.

Those memories are so filled with love. I think that is why I love to go sniffing around their house. That probably sounds weird. Am I alone in this little freak habit of mine? Or do other people out there experience the same rush of memory from a certain smell.

I thought I had blogged about it but I can't find my old entry so I'll finish this entry by telling you that last fall I happened to come across a reissue of a perfume my Aunt used to wear when I was a little girl. She gave me a bottle of it when I was really young. The bottle was almost empty but it had enough for me to feel like a big girl when I wanted to. I held on to the bottle my whole life. I still have it. And when I missed her I would open the lid and there she would be again. The perfume had been discontinued in the 70's. So I couldn't believe that Vermont Country Store managed to get them to remake it for them due to customer request. So I ordered her a bottle (and me). I couldn't wait for her to get it. I called her a few days after when it should have arrived. I just started the conversation with hi, how are you. And she went on to say "Your Uncle and I got a box the other day. And when we opened it we both stared at what was inside for a very long time. We couldn't believe what we got." then she laughed a little "Becca, how did you find it? I can't believe you remembered."

The more I write about them the more I feel the need to go visit them. I think a trip to Cali is soon in order.