Trains

Sitting here, just loving my new home. In the distance I hear a train going by. There are active tracks with big long trains that run by throughout the day. It is a comfort to me. First of all, I grew up a few block from the river in Bay City, so there were large shipping docks, and trains to transport the goods. It wouldn't be uncommon for me to listen to trains and freighters blowing their horns in the night. I remember coming home from Boston once and laying awake in my bed, waiting for the whistles and sounds that I missed living on the ocean. Secondly, trains run in my family. My great-grandfather Bennett was an engineer. He was scalded to death in a head-on train collision as a young man. My great-grandmother went back to her parents' farm with her two little boys. The farm was near the tracks, so their home doubled as a boarding house for the men who worked on the RR. In not too long, she met and married Great-grandpa Tufford and had two more sons. Out of the four, one went into construction (my grandpa Merlwyn, he was certain there was no future in the RR, lol), one into music (an artist in every group), and the others into the RR. My Great-uncle Wayne retired from engineering... well, sort of. Aunt Maxine tells me that a RR runs right through their backyard, and Unc makes a point to go out and wave his buddies as they drive on through. He will be 80 years old this year. The RR runs pretty deep.

So, the train tooting in the distance brings about a gentle reminder that this area too shall become like home. Familiar sounds help quiet the uneasiness of everything else being foreign. I'll admit that today was a bit more sad than usual. So I wrapped myself up in the "hug" scarf that Aud and Carrie gave me, put on a pot for tea, and strained to hear the RR's hum. The Doppler effect of the engine's passing reminds me that the intensity, the clang of this move will fade... soon.