Visiting the past

Yes, Ilisa is actually from upstate New York.  The truth is told.  I do not admit I am from NY to most people.  When I am asked where I am from, I am quite comfortable saying South Florida because that is where I have lived and worked for the past 11 years prior to coming back into the Air Force.  I consider south Florida to be home.  However, I was raised in a little town called Wappingers Falls.  Although I have great memories of my old home town, I remember more than anything wanting to "get out".  Like I was awaiting parole or something.   I got out all right.  Never looked back, either.  However, I still have a tie or two back there in NY.  I have an aunt, uncle and some cousins, but more importantly, I have a lifelong friend, Cindi.  Cindi is going to be married in December.  I went back to little Wappingers Falls see her last week and get some pre-wedding socializing done.  I met a couple of the other bridesmaids, saw her wedding dress and scoped out the location for the wedding.  We had a blast. 

I also made it a point to drive around and spend some time looking at all the places I remembered from when I was a child.  I saw my old house, the old library, the best old pizza place in the world, Frank's (which is still there and still awesome and they even knew I was one of the Stillman kids!), my old schools, etc.  It was such an awesome trip.  I always had an appreciation for where I lived and grew up because my father always had us out in the town and surrounding areas enjoying nature, picking apples, sleigh-riding or just generally going on adventures through the mountains.  While I was very rich in love and family, we were very poor financially.  Powered milk and food stamps were the song of the day back then.  Most people were too poor to get out.  But now, going back, the area has become very hot (just north of NYC).  I probably couldn't afford a home there now even if I wanted one.  Which, for the record, I do not, but it really is so much nicer than I remember it to be.  

I had a great time, and even got to see a couple of friends that I never thought I would see again.  A girlfriend of mine Shaun and her mom Margaret to name two.  I also got the chance to spend some quality time with a very influential gentleman from my past named Jeff, who was the person I formed the basis of my leadership style off of.  He is a retired Marine with a sense of humor and knack for for common sense that is very much un-common.  It was just incredible to see them all and to see the town.  Seeing all that has changed and all that has really NOT changed.  :)  The bottom line is I feel ten years younger and invigorated.  I didn't even realize how burned out I was until I went on this vacation.  I am ready to go back and attack the world again.  Life is good.