“Is It True Aunt Ruth Is Not a Traveler?”
Each of us has our own idea of travel. Some are active travelers wanting to see as many countries as possible while others are content to stay home and just watch shows of travel. We follow our own path as what best fits our personal desire. I grew up with father, who loved to travel, and a mother who made it happen. Yet some relatives opted for a quieter home life. Are you a traveler or a homebody?
A Little about Aunt Ruth
When I share my desire to travel with my 96 year old Aunt Ruth, she consistently says Uncle Pat (her husband of 70 years) and she were not travelers. First let me describe my Aunt Ruth as she is a special person. I call her a “spitfire!” Ruth is the 7th child of the twelve children, affectionately called the “Dirty Dozen.” She grew up in Big Stone Gap, Virginia then moved to Arlington, Virginia where she worked for the Bureau of National Affairs (BNA). Aunt Ruth and Uncle Pat retired in 1979. Over the years Ruth became the “unofficial” matriarch of the Matz family consistently coordinating family gatherings. An avid computer user still today, she learned to use the computer when she was 75. In her early 90’s Ruth decided to learn to text. So Ruth is a lady who keeps up with the times. After Pat passed away, Ruth moved from Ellenton, Florida, where she and Pat lived for 17 years, to Stratford Court (Independent Living) in Palm Harbor, Florida. While the Pandemic has limited much of the socializing at Stratford, Ruth does her daily exercises and twice each morning and afternoon walks the long interior halls of Stratford or takes a stroll outside. She is always ready to go out for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
We are not travelers but we’ve seen a few places (Pictures Ruth and Pat young)
So why the article on Aunt Ruth? While Ruth claims she and Pat were not travelers, my question is: Were Ruth and Pat travelers? The dictionary defines travel: “to go from one place to another, as by car, train, plane, or ship. Maybe this tale will capture your own personal aspect of travel. For a couple who claim not to travel, Ruth and Pat got around. Upon retiring they drove cross country from Arlington, Virginia to California visiting the National Parks. Even today, when Ruth shares the story of their cross country trip, she easily recalls the details of their adventure. Ruth and Pat also loved to fish, so that meant traveling somewhere to fish. Then as Washington Redskin Fans and season ticket holders for years, Ruth and Pat traveled to two Super Bowls to cheer for the Redskins. One April, they had a last minute trip to Augusta, Georgia to attend the Masters Tournament. Avid golfers and seeking warmer winter weather, Ruth and Pat made yearly winter golf vacations to Florida. After moving to Ellenton, Florida they made an annual trips to Washington, DC to visit with family and attend the BNA Stockholder meeting. Wow! This sounds like travel. They may not fly across country or travel to foreign lands but they did TRAVEL. As Uncle Pat said, on trips to or from Ellenton, FL to Washington, DC, they stayed at the same hotel, same room, and ate at the same restaurant in Santee, South Carolina.
Creating Traditions
We often don’t realize how an idea we have may create a tradition. While growing up in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, Ruth’s mother, Aileen, made Apple Butter each Fall. She had a huge copper kettle for making the Apple Butter. Somehow with the move of her parents to Florida, the Pat’s got the copper kettle. In the early 1970’s Ruth got with Pat’s mother asking if they could use the copper kettle and come down to make Apple Butter. This started an annual family tradition of the Morris family in Baum Holler making Apple Butter. It is a fun time on cold fall days to be outside stirring the Apple Butter in the huge copper kettle over an open fire. So from 1970’s to 2014, Ruth and Pat made an annual pilgrimage to join the festivities of making homemade Apple Butter. These travels were 400 miles from Arlington, VA to Big Stone Gap, VA then later it was an 800 mile trip from Ellenton, FL. The “Apple Butter Gang” continues to make Apple Butter over an open fire in the mountains of Virginia.
Making Family Memories – Family Reunions
For individuals claiming to be non-travelers Ruth and Pat were adventuresome. The Matz Family started a tradition in 1971 of having Reunions every two years. Initially, each of the immediate siblings, one of the twelve children, took responsibility for the bi-annual reunion. Later their children took over as the Reunion has continued through 2019. (The Pandemic is creating a challenge for the 2021 Reunion.) The Matz Family Reunions have been held in a variety of locations usually in the South. Locations for Reunions are varied from Leesburg, Virginia to Orlando, Florida. We’ve had hayrides and cookouts in the mountains in West Virginia at Pipestem State Park, Cacapon State Park, and Cacaan Valley. We’ve thrilled at the excitement of the laser show at Stone Mountain State Park in Georgia and dug our toes in the sand on Cocoa Beach, Florida. Reunions have hikes to scenic waterfalls in Tennessee and staying at the Chattanooga Choo Choo Hotel in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Two Reunions had the family return to the former family home, where the “Dirty Dozen” were raised just around the bend from Big Stone Gap, Virginia. Ruth and Pat attended each reunion. Wow! That meant travels to new places. On Reunion visits, Ruth and Pat also took time to visit the new area as sightseers. When I chaired the Matz Reunion at Stone Mountain, GA, Ruth and Pat joined my husband Richard and me for a few days of golf and sightseeing at Callaway Gardens, Georgia. So despite being homebodies, Ruth and Pat did a lot of traveling to Reunions.
Travels Provide Memories & Tales
I’ve made my point. Ruth and Pat were not the home bodies they claimed to be. They loved experiencing new places. Maybe they didn’t leave the good ol’ USA but they traveled. Again when asking Ruth about their prior travels there is a special smile on her face as she recalls the exciting memory, adventure or (mis)adventure. Ruth’s memories of any trip are fresh and vivid. A reminder that sharing a tale brings making the special moment and is exciting in itself. She often recalls going to dinner at Grand Canyon National Park. The hostess tells Ruth that she isn’t dressed appropriately. She is wearing Bermuda shorts. A lady in line behind Ruth takes a look at Ruth and says she wished she looked that good in shorts. Another fond travel memory is when Pat went on a business trip to New York City and Ruth went with him. While Pat attends the meeting Ruth says she will take a taxi to visit her sister Dot, who lives on Long Island. Pat recommends Ruth take the train as it will cost “an arm and a leg” for a taxi ride to Long Island. Ruth’s never ridden a train in New York and feels it is too confusing, so she is taking a taxi. Ruth hails the taxi outside the hotel. The Taxi driver asks Ruth where she is from and she tells him Arlington, Virginia. He says, “Where are you really from?” Ruth explains she is from a little town in the mountains of southwest Virginia that he won’t know. She is from Big Stone Gap. The driver smiles and says to Ruth, “Do you know where Wise, Virginia is?” Of course, it is the county seat for Wise County where Big Stone Gap is. Ruth and the driver have a great visit as he drives her to Long Island. Once there he doesn’t charge her saying it was so good to visit with someone from back home. Ruth thinks she tipped him. A fun story and example of while we live in a big world it is still a small world in many ways.
Conclusion
Ruth, may think she is not a traveler but she has done a lot of traveling in her 96 years. These stories are ‘just the tip of the iceberg” for the travels of Ruth and Pat. The travels have provided fun, excitement, and entertainment throughout her life. Each trip brings tales to share with family and fond memories. Today with the Pandemic, Ruth’s travels are more limited predominantly as she says, “old folk just go out to eat.” Even then, we attempt to make these an adventure trying new or unique restaurants for a diverse dining experience. Ruth is willing to trying new foods, too. We are consistently looking for places with outdoor dining and great views. While travels may be limited now, we congratulate Ruth for being willing to try new things even at her “advanced age of 96.”
Each of us in our own way have some desire for travel or adventure. It is up to us to decide our preference from just taking a walk in the park to a weekend getaway to a cruise to cross country road trip to visiting foreign countries. Travel can be a short distance for a short time or a long distance for a long time. It can be a car ride just to look at sights or an in-depth experience at a location. Look at your own personal desires and make them happen.
Life is too short too! Get out and go!