Visiting Nebraska

John & I just returned from a visit to Nebraska.  His mom and dad live in York and his daughter and her family live in Orchard.  If you drive through Orchard and blink, you miss it.  York is not much bigger.

Yet every time I visit our home state, I am amazed at how not much changes.  It's almost like time has stopped moving forward.  Everyone is friendly, most people still don't lock their doors, everyone knows everyone, and the one finger wave is alive and well.

Ah, the one finger wave!  For those of you unfamiliar with it, the one finger wave is not what you might think.  When you're driving the two lane highways and dirt roads you pass few vehicles.  And those you pass are mostly pick up trucks with gun racks.  But no matter what, the driver will have his hand on the wheel at 12 o'clock and will raise his index finger as if to wave at you, while tipping his head slightly.  It's a friendly sign.  A sign of acknowledgement.  I guess maybe his way of saying "have a nice day."  Whatever it means, I like it.  It's a throw back to the past that has endured to the 21st century.  When I think of people trying to do that here on I-10 during rush hour it makes me laugh.  No index fingers are being extended around here!

I guess life it still a lot simpler and a little slower in the Midwest.  And it's still a great place to raise kids.  Of course, we have two of the most adorable grandkids and spending time with Preston and Parker is always a hoot.  Where the 2 1/2 year old gets all that energy I will never know!  Plus, we have an added extra - John's neice has a beautiful little daughter who is almost 4.  Jaidyn is going to be breaking hearts all over town.

There's always so much I want to do when we go back and it seems like I never get to visit enough or eat enough of my favorite foods.  We did visit Runza twice and thanks to a wonderful cleaning guy at Orsi's Italian Bakery in Omaha, I did get two loaves of my favorite bread in spite of them being closed that day!  No one anywhere on this planet makes Italian bread better than Orsi's.

I really need a week or two to visit Nebraska.  Maybe next time.