Ron and Mom On Overnight Train June 4 2001

Nineteen years ago my Mother and I fulfilled a lifetime dream, that was to take a private room overnight train. We had both seen these glamorous train trips in old movies and when the opportunity came up to actually take one of these train trips, we took advantage of the opportunity.

My youngest brother John had invited us down to his home in Greenville, South Carolina to visit with him and his wife Barbara and daughter Nancy.  We could have taken a flight down, which my Mother had done previously by herself but this time we thought we would be more adventurous. Interestingly, the plane trip would have cost less.

The entire trip took about twelve hours. We boarded at 30th Street Station in Philadelphia about 5 o'clock after taking a train from Downingtown to Philadelphia. We arrived in Greenville about 7:30 AM the following morning, where my brother John was at the train station to meet us with his car to take us to his home for our stay.

The trip was a delight as you can tell from this one minute video compilation.  We also ate in the dining car which was very nice, just like in the movies. White linen table cloth and all.  

Looking at this video tape I am reminded of the easy camaraderie that I had with my Mother. I was her first born and her favorite (according to my brothers, I never noticed).  

This video was taken June 4th, 2001. Several years later as my Mother's health declined, we (my two brothers, the other of which she was living with in our old family home in Downingtown) moved her permanently to live with John at his home in Greenville, South Carolina. She didn't want to move there permanently but we promised her that we wouldn't put her in a nursing home and John had a mother-in-law apartment at his home which was perfectly suited for her. 

The last time I saw her was in 2010, several months before her death. She was mad at me because my brother Isaac and I had tricked her into going to John's place permanently. She was all packed and ready to go back to Pennsylvania with me and Bill. But we couldn't, she needed more care than Isaac could provide for her or that Bill and I could provide for her. My brother John was/is a care pastor and his mother-in-law lived with them for twenty-nine years. Yes, John is a saint. 

John is very ill now and his daughter is taking care of him at his home. I am sending him this video to remind him of happier times when both Mom and I could laugh. 

Mom is in a better place now.  Thank God she didn't have to go through this pandemic and Trump, although she would have been one of those Trumpers. She was addicted to Fox News.

Looking at this video brings me comfort and happiness at this stressful time in my life.

Bill is failing. I'm failing. Our country is failing.

I'll look at this video many times before I pass on. 

And for those of you who disdain photos and videos, this is why I take them folks. Sure, I believe in living in the moment but I also believe in reliving the moment and for that belief, I will never apologize.  

Every one makes choices in life. I'm glad I made this choice. My Mother gave me my first camera (a Kodak brownie) for Christmas when I was eleven years old. I've been taking pictures and now videos ever since. Thank you Mom. 

Thank you, thank you, thank you.