You Can Never Go Home Again

I just returned from a week long trip to the Texas panhandle to visit my old home town, attend a reunion and spend some time with my mom. To say this trip was a mixed blessing would be an understatement.
I enjoyed catching up with some old friends, some of which I hadn't seen in several, several years. I missed some old friends that I will never have the opportunity to see again. I walked the pathways of my youth and found them much unchanged. And I learned a lesson in relationships that needed to be learned.
I will not go into great detail but I am exhausted from trying to please a very important person to me. And am amazed that person cannot see how hurtful criticism and accusations can be. My tongue is practically chewed in two from biting it to keep from lashing out. My shoulders are permanently scrunched up around my ears in an attempt to ward off scathing critical tirades.
What is very interesting is that I can be alone with this person and we get along fine, however, if another individual is thrown into the mix, suddenly I have a giant target painted on me and the shots never fail to hit the mark.
I was never happier to see my dear husband who loves me just the way I am (old, overweight and tired) and who thinks that I am a truly good person. I regret that I took someone with me for this trip. We had a super time but I hate that she had to witness the behavior that manifested. Together we laughed and truly enjoyed ourselves but it was always tempered by the fact that someone else was unhappy and having a perfectly miserable time. Worse still was the fact that my traveling companion never gets to go anywhere and we ruined what could have been a very relaxing and wonderful time for her. Shame on us!
I am posting some pics so you can see the lovely land I come from - no wonder some people are P O'd all the time! :)