May 23 2008
Thanks for the Memories . . .
As you are reading this I am in Pennsylvania breaking the first leg of our journey. My mother in-law is taking every opportunity to take me shopping and to stuff us full of wonderful Lithuanian foods. It’s a nice rest between packing up and before the other 2,735 miles of our 2,934 mile Westhampton Beach, NY to Seattle, WA, my new old home. Not to worry, I will be back and posting all about life in Seattle by Friday the 13th of June and I can’t wait to share with you all of the reasons I love the Pacific Northwest. For now I would like to focus on the place I have lived for the last four years, Westhampton Beach and so I leave you with this letter.
Dear Hamptons,
As I leave you for (much) greener pastures, I have a few memories I would like to share with you. Do you recall our visit to Catapano Dairy? I’ll never forget those strange horses standing on a haystack, the mama goat with her kid or the exquisite chevre they provided. How about our visit to Pugliese Vineyard on the North Fork? Sipping my glass of Blanc de Blanc while gazing at the pond on a warm afternoon was truly one of the more idyllic moments I’ve had. Then there was of course my first bite of cake from Beach Bakery; such a moment to be cherished with its luscious flavor, decadent frosting and uncompromised quality.
There were other less fond memories too of course, I imagine they will fade with time, but for now they are still relatively fresh. The closing of the best place for breakfast in our area Belle’s Cafe was a sad time for many. Do you remember the angry deli man who made me cry? I still am unsure what part of “may I please have a Reuben sandwich” he found so offensive. And I know that you could never forget the abomination I found wriggling in my fish just a few months back.
Now it is time to return to my real home a place that is so much a part of me that you never had a shot. But, as I look back dear Hamptons, I will try and think only of the things that made me happy (like those peaches from Bayview Farm, boy that tart was tasty), and all the things I have learned. Hopefully, I’ll be leaving a little wiser because of you.
I now have a single regret; I could not visit that mushroom farm in Bridgehampton, I was just too busy.
Adieu . . . we’ll always have East Enders.
What a magnanimous farewell, Erin. I’m proud of you– not to mention jealous. Say hi to The Mountain for me, and I hope to see you very soon.
Are you driving? When we first moved from NYS to CA we drove and it was an amazing experience. Yup! Two adults and 3 cats in the cab of a truck with everything we owned behind us. Before we got to LA we had a HUGE fight and I was ready to turn around and drive back to Poughkeepsie leaving Steve behind.
Still, we got past it and I’d LOVE to do it again one day. …mabbee without the bumpy truck, the small spaces and the freaked out cats constantly under foot or clamped into my shoulder. =o But I really hope we will get to do it again one day.
Was the guy in the deli keeping kosher or merely a madman?
Have a wonderful trip!
Rainey, We are driving across for the second time. Our things are thankfully in the care of the greatest mover on earth, so I have no fears. Our pup is a little nervous, but is faring much better than expected. That is most likely due to the backseat full of dog toys, pillows and frequent walks.
The deli man was sadly a madman and this deli was far from kosher.
Leslie, You won’t have to be jealous if come see me. We will stare at the other mountains from my apartment.
Have a wonderful journey home Erin.
Hope there will be good road food and amazing scenery in your immediate future!
I have done it on I 10 across the South and I 40 across the Midwest and the Plains. We’ve also done north-to-south down the coast and down the Rockies. I’ve never done the northern route and I look forward to it one day. I hope you’ll have roadside stops to recommend for me when the time comes. ;>
I just love a good road trip. Hope yours will be memorable!
I’m so excited for you guys! (and jealous!) Ahhh…Seattle… We will greatly miss our fantastic annual Thanksgiving trip to your guys’ place. Your hospitality was a little bit of home right here on the east coast.
See you soon!!!
We narrowly escaped the tornados in Minnesota so I think we are in pretty good shape. We arrived At my parents last night and signed the papers on our apartment today. Tomorrow we are offically in and I can’t wait. Now, we just need our things.
Kim, I will miss our Thanksgiving celebrations too. I agree it ws a little piece of home and felt like family. I’m missing you guys already.
So long Hamptons….hello free babysitting….er…Seattle
I hope you are getting settled in! I’ll be trying to get a hold of you soon!!
I am having a late night Tillamook quesadilla and thinking of you.
I’m glad you missed the tornadoes but wonder if you feel like you’re wrestling with them daily trying to get settled in or if you’re well-trained military folk who can move on a moment’s notice and be operational in nothing flat. Perhaps you’ve even moved on to discovering all the new things in your new neighborhood. Should give you lots to blog about when you’re ready for it.
I’m doing the same on a distinctly non-military schedule trying to reclaim my new dining room from the kitchen reno that got started over a year ago and finished a couple months ago.
Anyway, thinking of you and wanted to say so. I’ll look forward to when you resurface