Miles 58 through 61, Miller Hill to 957

Now, you would think that after what I did yesterday that I would be a little more unwilling to walk today, but it has really helped that I am determined to get in 80 miles before Friday!  I did indeed get up and head out to walk this morning.  Today, it was back to nearby roads.

I asked my husband to take me to Foster Cemetery, a nearby cemetery where I have several relatives on my mom's side resting.  He clocked it via one particular route, and it was only 3 miles which really surprised me!  I had him drop me off, and then asked him to go home by a different route to see how far that one was, and that route was 3.6....much better.  Local folks, the shorter route was using "Lover's Lane", and then longer route was taking the main Lander intersection.  So I told him I would go home taking the longer route.  I have no problem rounding that up to 4 miles, people, because there have been several times that I have rounded down a few tenths of a mile, so it's all good.

This past January, my grandpa passed away having lived a very good, long and wonderful life.  I had the great fortune of being able to come home for a week when he passed away, but it was crazy cold when they had his burial, and so I did not go to that portion of the service.  This today, then, was the first time I had had the opportunity to go.

You might think otherwise due to the fact that 3 of my posts have had pictures of cemeteries in them, but I am really not adept at visiting cemeteries.  I mean, I had to ask my Dad the other day where to find his parents' markers, and I had to ask my mom this morning where to find these.  Visiting cemeteries is really not something I normally do.  That's another benefit this walking has had for me; it has given me the opportunity to appreciate very different things while here visiting including taking the time to visit the resting places of my grandparents.

My grandfather, a very noble man

Far left, my grandparents, William and Theresa

In the middle, their son, my Uncle Jack, who passed away in 1991

On the far right, my Uncle Billy, who passed away in 1980

I visited for a little while and then began to make my way to my parents' house.  The next 3 miles would take me past the exact 3 miles where I had spent most of my life until I turned 18.  Truly.

Miller Hill descending into Lander

First up is the Lander Volunteer Fire Department.  I spent many, many hours at this place!  Gosh, where do I start!  From when I was very young, my parents were active there.  At different time, they were both volunteer firefighters.  My sister and I were even Junior Volunteer Firefighters.  I recall one time we responded to a call, and she and I helped to save either a litter of kittens or puppies.  I think it was kittens.  Also, nearly every Thursday, we worked at the Fire Hall for Bingo Night.  We would help to sell the bingo cards, helped to keep the evening running, help to run the ladies' cards when they had to visit the little girls' room, and when we were older, we even were bingo callers!  This place also saw countless family gatherings and get-togethers including my own wedding reception.  

A little further down Miller Hill, I came upon the former Lander Elementary School where I had attended school from Kindergarten until 6th grade.  It is no longer a school; it now is a (pending edit until I find out!)  At this school, I grew up with the very same kids with very few ever coming or going from the time I was 5.  That's so remarkable considering where I work now where we have an incredible turnover of students even on a monthly basis!

The former Lander Elementary School.

The school's playground.  Thankfully, still functional as a playground!

In "downtown Lander" is Lander United Methodist Church.  This is the church I grew up in.  I actually walked past here on my first day of walking and was kicking myself for not taking a picture of it.  Fortunately, I am walking by it again and so can include a picture.  

You've already seen the rest of this route, but I took some pictures anyway!

Just pretty.

Eisenhower High School, all tore up.

I have looked briefly online and can't find a plan which describes what the end result of this project will look like, but I will keep looking.

Finally I have nearly returned to my parents' house.  I took a picture from the view they have directly across the road from their house.  

Then, as I was walking, I was appreciating all the different wildflowers that were growing alongside the road.  I don't see any of these flowers in Texas (except for last one, tiger lillies).

And, now, I'm back at my parents' house, which you have already seen!