Memories

It's July 5th, our granddaughter's 15th birthday.  She was born in New Jersey not long after
her parents (our oldest son & wife) moved to New Jersey.  He relocated because of
his job but a year and a half later moved back to California.  I had always dreamed of
visiting the East Coast, it was five years earlier while delivering newspapers in the fall
that I had thoughts of what it was like living on the East Coast during fall.  Well I
got my chance after Gianna was born and after 9/11 happened.  We had made plans after
Gianna's birth to visit our son and his family in September and leave on the 22nd.
It was a beautiful time even though our country was still in shock after the attack of the
two towers.  As we sat on the plane in San Francisco, the pilot tried to reassure us
that they had checked the airplane and that we were safe.  We never felt more safe flying than we did that day.  To see our newest granddaughter was such a thrill and we were both so
 excited, I couldn't wait to hold her.
The next day we drove around town and I had that same feeling I had years earlier had returned as I
saw houses with golden shaded leaves on the ground, pumpkins on porches and all had
the American flags hung on the posts of the porches.  It reminded me of a picture
right out of Norman Rockwell.