Greetings from the Edge of America, where it finally feels like fall! Temps were in the 30s this morning, but no worries. It’s already warming up and going to be near 70 later today, back to 80 by the weekend. Whew! (I know that all of you in the Midwest are rolling your eyes at me right now.)
In just one short week, we’ll be checking out and saying goodbye to our beloved townhouse. I know I’ve asked this before, but how are we going to top this place? Charleston is bustling—loaded with history, charm, tourists and horse-drawn carriages. The pace here at the beach, just 20 minutes away, is notably slower. Literally, the speed limit is 25 mph on the entire island! Traffic signs say, “Slow down. You’re on Folly time.” I think that perfectly sums up the laid-back island vibe. Some of the neighbors we’ve met are already sending me Folly Beach real estate listings; I would definitely consider a second home here.
Speaking of home, Tony and Bella stopped by Castle Rock Court (aka, our primary De Pere residence) last week to move our car and pick up some miscellaneous items. They said it was beyond strange to knock on the front door and even more surreal to have complete strangers answer it! I’m sure it will hit me when we fly home for the holidays but move into a rental (aka, our secondary residence). That will be bizarre. Alayna is already strategizing and making a list of the decorations and ornaments we MUST bring to the house on Bower Creek. The list is extensive—longer than her Christmas wish list!! (Love that kid. We had a great time together.)
The sweet: As you can see from the photos, Tammy finally made it to South Carolina! Crazy girl drove all through the night to surprise us Saturday morning; what a joyful reunion. We celebrated Halloween with spooky food, jack o’ lanterns and, of course, lots of treats. On Oct. 31, we went into Charleston—the third-most haunted city in America—in costume for a ghosts and graveyards walking tour. (Did you know there’s a difference between graveyards and cemeteries?)
But my favorite part of the weekend was just having the six of us together. I grew up in a busy family, and with all four kids being active with sports, jobs, activities, etc., it became less and less often that all six of us Kastes would be home for an evening meal. When it did happen, my dad would inevitably look around the table and say, “It’s sure nice to have the whole family home for supper.” We thought this was the corniest saying ever and teased him relentlessly, but now I totally get his point. Grateful to God for answering our prayers.
The sad: One of Tony’s uncles passed away this week at the age of 86. Uncle Bob was a good man who loved his family. He was also my bocce ball tournament partner for many years and will be sadly missed. Praying for the Beauchamps and Broullires who mourn his loss.
Notes from the road: Before we left, our snowbird neighbors advised us not to overpack. Of course, we did not listen. Now—two months in to our school year adventure—I’m realizing how little of my wardrobe I actually wear. In fact, when Tony and Bella flew home, we sent back my huge green suitcase jammed with clothes and other “essential” items that we didn’t touch in eight weeks. For anyone thinking about traveling (during COVID or whenever), bring about half of what you think you might need. Make travel cubes your friends and try to rent a place with a washer and dryer. Laundry soap costs wayyy less than checking a bag these days!
Gratitude: As always, I’m grateful for the continued blessings of health and prosperity that make this journey possible. For the love and support of you, our dear family and friends. Now that it’s November and National Novel Writing Month, I’m grateful to the guy whose own debut novel inspired me to pick up and revisit a discarded fiction project. Not sure how I’m going to write 50,000 words this month with everything else we have going on, but I’m going to give it a shot!!
Lastly, please join me today in praying for our country. Regardless of your political affiliation, I think we can all agree that love, peace and compassion are ideals that are greatly needed in our world right now. May this election’s outcome be a win for our country, first and foremost! Bless you all — please comment and keep in touch!!