A life....in magnets....

Seems to me that most folks like to collect things.  Stamps. Baseball cards.  Fine chinaware.  I always said I would like to collect watches.  I have a few, maybe 4 or 5--yeah, I know, not much of a collection, but it's a start.  One is from my dad and is a Bulova Computron.  Another is a Wyler Dynawind Incaflex.  

This photos above are of my mother's refrigerator.  She loves to collect magnets, specifically magnets from places to which my brother and sister and I have travelled.  When we go somewhere, mom always tells us "bring me a magnet!" And she means it.  Like, we best not even cross the borders back into Covington County without a magnet.  It's serious business.  I was late to Christmas parade once because I was trying to find  her magnet, and didn't have the stones to face her without it!  LOL. 

A little bit about my mom....

She's an amazing warrior of a woman who raised her kids to be able to go and do whatever our hearts and minds led us to do.  With hardly the funding to do so, she took us places: the bayous of southern Lousiana, the beach, New York City, Disney World just to name a few.  She wanted us to see the world, and she wanted us to know that we could spread our wings and fly!  In many of our travels, mom has been able to go with us, which has been a blessing for me.  Nowadays, she chooses to stay home.  But she's always with us in spirit wherever we go, and she asks that we honor her in a simple way--to just bring a magnet for her refrigerator.  

To me, her refrigerator is far more than just that.   It's a work of art that tells a story of a family of three generations all influenced by one woman.  And what a story it is!!!

I think the oldest one is from the Cayman Islands.  1999.  A whole life ago.  I both am and am not that person anymore.  I remember Cayman being really expensive and that the cruise ship couldn't stay there more than 5 hours due to port charges.  The Firm had been partially filmed there and I scuba dived in the same place where the diving scene was in that movie.  

There's one from the Colosseum in Rome.  I have no idea how that got there as I have never been to Italy.  Thomas? Jeremie?? Mom, do you have another child???? 

There's one from Sequoyah Caverns.  I understand those caverns were recently closed permanently.  I need to verify if that's true.  If you've ever been to Sequoyah before you know it's incredibly beautiful, and full of Indian and Alabama history.  That part of Alabama has always been a favorite location of mine.  Mentone, the Little River Canyon, DeSoto State Park...all great places to be in the fall or spring.  Or any time.

Near that one is one from Cheaha State Park.  I used to spend a good bit of time at Cheaha with the Alabama Hiking Trail Society.  Rick Guhse', Eric Douglass, Joe Cujah, Mike Kennedy, Marie Arnott and I were the driving force of AHTS for a good portion of the early 2000s.  I am very proud of our connecting the Pinhoti to the Appalachian Trail in 2008, and I often camp near the monument when I go backpacking there.  

There's one from the Tuskegee Institute.  When Grant was in the fourth grade, he had to do a project on Booker T. Washington, so one Sunday, we drove up to the campus of Tuskegee University and learned more about BTW and George Washington Carver than I had ever learned in school.  Both of those men were brilliant, and Tuskegee stands as a monument to them and their vision.

And right near that one is one from the US Marine Corps Memorial, better known as the Iwo Jima Monument.  Having a son who is a Marine makes this doubly special.  If you have never scene Iwo in person, I encourage you to go.  If possible, see it at night!  Wow. 

There's one from Busch Gardens.  There is no telling how many times we have been to Orlando/Tampa with the AHS Band.  I know I have been three times myself.  Jeremie has probably been 11 or 26 times. We grew up in the band, and our kids grew up in the band.  There ya go.

There's one from Quebec.  Ahhh, the Quetico park.  Canoe fishing for days.  Grant and I paddled for 6 days catching more fish than we could count with 5 other canoes of father/son pairs.  It was really cool to do that trip with Mark Craig, whom I've know since I was 5.  

Right near that one is one from Alaska.  Amazing and gigantic Alaska.  One day I hope to ride the Dalton Highway on a motorcycle.  Now THAT will be a great magnet.

I see one from Highlands, NC.  This was a trip that mom actually went on.  My brother may or may not have gotten a speeding ticket trying to keep up with me.....I plead the 5th.  

Grand Lake, Colorado!  Wow!! Now that is one of my top five favorite places in the entire world.  A summer night sitting on the dock of Grand Lake at sunset is almost impossible to beat.  Can you say ZERO humidity and 65 degrees?????

There's one from Wisconsin.  Wisconsin.....I was in the airport in Milwaukee when I learned that Ashlyn was going to require reconstructive surgery.  I had just purchased the magnet and was holding the bag when I got the call. (Yes I remember that--it rather makes a mark on you when you learn your baby girl is going to have that kind of surgery.)  

And of course, there are several from the Camino.  Two trips there, in 2018 and 2019, and it still calls me every day.  I'll go back one day.  

There are so many other magnets on that refrigerator.  Each one, a memory, and each one a place my mom went, at least in spirit.  My mom leaves a legacy in her three children and her 5 grandchildren.  She sent us out into the great big world with fierceness and assuredness.  She sent us out as explorers.....and all she ever wanted for it was a magnet.  I love you, mom.