Last week I was in Orlando a few days on business.  Being by myself, rather than do any site seeing I just went back to my hotel room and wrote.  However, I did allow myself to ‘remember when.’

The first night I was there I drove up International Blvd to grab something to eat.  Memories flooded back as I thought about our long road trip all the way from Arlington, TX.  We drove to our Orlando vacation in our new van which had a television!  Whoo hoo you might say, but it was a big thing then.  Couldn’t pick up many stations, but the television was in there anyway.

While in Orlando, we watched a space shuttle launch, avoided alligators, went to the beach and spent several days at Disney World.  Funny, but every memory I have is in the context of the reaction of our four children to what they saw and did.  I enjoyed the experiences too but there was something special about living it through them.  Feeling the rumble of the space shuttle’s take off, enjoying the beach and trying to decide where we would go next at Disney World.  Some times we split up in a couple of groups to allow everyone to do what they wanted.

Then there was International and all its tourist shops, restaurants, fast food and what I think at the time was the World’s Largest McDonald’s.  My memories were muddled a little as I drove trying to remember what was there when we visited and what was new.  When I stopped at lights or went into a store, I’d glance at the families who were there.  I was almost zealous that my children are now grown, but then…there are always the grandchildren.