My hometown is Washington, NC. It’s a small town on the Pamlico River (the “rivah” to those who live there) in eastern North Carolina. I have only good memories of Washington and I love to visit when I can.

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My aunt (Barbara) and uncle (Bob) live there as do a handful of cousins. She and her son own an Airbnb on the second floor above a women’s clothing store on Main Street. It’s a cozy studio apartment, well-appointed with just the right furniture and interesting art pieces. There are restaurants nearby, dozens of shops and one awesome bakery we visit too often. The river is a block away. We sit on its banks and watch it flow by on its way to the Pamlico Sound.

Here's a link to the Loft on Main if you’d like to see it: https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/33017039?guests=1&adults=1&s=67&unique_share_id=bf7c5224-fa31-491e-bad2-82ff5da17a24

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When I sold my business recently, Margaret and I decided to celebrate with family in Washington. The first night, we had supper at the farm off Hwy 17 near Vanceboro. We enjoyed potato salad (like grandma used to make), Cole slaw, and barbecue sandwiches. We ate on the covered deck and caught up on family news. Somehow, we got on to Spruill family ancestry. Barbara and my cousin, Robbie, the retired fire chief, spoke about those who’ve gone before us as if they’d seen them just last week.

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My aunt and Bob are both artists. They each have an art studio on either side of a flower garden beside their home. On the other side of their house, there’s a greenhouse constructed from reclaimed glass-paned exterior doors. It’s the perfect centerpiece for their eclectic garden of raised flower beds, wrought iron sculpture, and a pond for the frogs. I love their place.

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The next night we visited The Bank Restaurant, an upscale restaurant in – wait for it – an old bank building. We all enjoyed a feast. My in-house curator and I liked a couple pieces of Barbara’s art on display there and brought them home with us.

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The next morning, I saw cousins from Dad’s side of the family. We met for breakfast and caught up on each other’s lives since his last sister passed. One cousin has battled a serious medical diagnosis for two years. Her husband missed breakfast since the farm is very demanding this time of year. He’s one of the good guys – steady, solid, faithful, hardworking. Mark and Gail were enjoying life with grandkids and cheering for ECU.

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If I had to guess, many of you have family and a home town you love. When something big like retirement happens, you want to share your happiness with those people. They celebrate when you do. The love, the shared memories, the familiar places bind you together.

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My extended family lives two hundred miles from me, yet we are bound by blood and shared remembrances. I know where I came from. Literally, these are my people.