Day 67
Tuesday, June 3, 2014
On Thursday, after packing up all needed supplies in the
camper, my brother, sister-in-law, and I (and their 4 month old Adorable puppy)
headed up into the mountains. We stayed
at a very nice National Park. After
getting set up, DB took me riding around … on the Parkway, to several overlooks,
and miles and miles on back roads. We
stoppe frequently, and I got to see rhodendron, flame azalea, and mountain
laurel all blooming. We also visited a
little store with some clever and nice novelty items and art pieces.
DB cooked hamburgers for supper.
On Friday we rode a bit in the morning. In the afternoon we sat in lawn chairs and “held”
a site for DN(iece) and her DH, because it was located better than the one they
had reserved. Minuts after they got
there, DSis and family got here.
The camp sites were very nice, with cement picnic tables and
we had lots of room for setting up canopies and a circle of lawn chairs. On Friday night it was DB’s turn to cook, and
we had steaks, baked potatoes, toss salad.
On Saturday, after a Huge breakfast, several of the group
took off for a short hike. It turned out
shorter than they thought … 2 elderly dogs tired out! So they called DB for a “rescue”! LOL! Otherwise, we spent a lot of time sitting
around talking. I had brought a big box
of old pictures for everyone to go through and pull out any they wanted. Funny, the box is till more than half
full!!
One night .. but I don’t remember which (Friday?) .. it
poured rain all night. It cleared by
morning, although stayed foggy a long time.
Made for very wet puppy feet!!
Saturday night it was nephew’s turn to cook. They did ribs on a smoker .. totally
yummy! We also had a camp fire going,
and one of nieces made s’mores .. made over a campfire, sticky and gooey, just
how they are supposed to be!!
On Sunday morning we again gathered for a big breakfast; and
then some took off for another hike. DB,
SIL, and I (and puppy) rode, and we all met at a very old cabin that has been
preserved. A lady inside was spinning
wool, and telling the history of the family that livd there, and a lot of
information about the way of life in the time period. It was extraordinarily rustic, at least by
our standards!
That afternoon niece and newphew headed home. Later in the evening the rest of us went to
an overlook to watch the sunset.
Unfortunately, clouds moved in too quickly; but the 3 year old and the
puppy had a grand time romping in a grassy area.
Monday morning we had one last grand breakfast, and then “broke
camp” (note, I keep saying “we” .. but mostly I just sat around and tried to
stay out of the way! LOL!). DS and
family left first, and later DB was all packed up nad ready to roll. Oddly enough, we all got to one McD at nearly
the same time!. We got there first, and
SIL called DS .. they were only minutes away, so we had lunch together again.
They ride home was surprisingly short (and no, it couldn’t
possibly be becaue I dozed for any of it!).
They got what was needed out, and we all pretty much collapsed!
Tuesday morning I had all my gear packed early, and by mid
morning we left to take me home. We went
by DS’s house first, since we had been invited for lunch. She made a Wonderful asta salad! (and sent me
home with some salad for supper and some sliced ham!!). After leaving DS’s house, DB took me over to
the pharmacy to pick up eye drops (had run out!). Then we came on back home.
Coming home was very much a let down. It will always be a little bit sad to come
home after such a lovely trip. But to
come home to things that weren’t right was very disappointing. A bag of trash, that TGF was going to take to
the dump, was still by the door; but she did get all the piles of old magazines
off the table. I went to take 8 days
worth of laundry to the laundry room, only to discover things in both the
washer and dryer. But the worst was that
both hall doors were closed .. which meant the cats (Maggie and Butter) could
not get to their litter boxes!!! I found
later she had not even been there since Sunday afternoon. Oh my poor itties. And, their food bowls were completely
empty.
As soon as I walked into the den, I knew there was something
unpleasant there. Sadly, my nose works
better than my eyes. DB and SIL found
and removed several “deposits” .. including the kitchen sink!!! Gross!!!!
(the sink strainer and a few utinsels .. that I did NOT leave there ..
were soaked for several hours in hot soapy bleach water!). Later I scrubbed the utilnels, and the
sink. I put the strainer in a saucepan
and boiled it. I stil think I’m going to
just replace it!!!!
Once school is out, TGF won’t even ben coming out this way
every day .. so I am relatively sure that if I were to go off again, it would
be an even bigger problem getting her to take decent care of anyting. She, of course, never scoops litter boxes or
waters plants. I’m thinking I won’t take
any longer than a weekend for the next few months at least.
One very promising thing has come of the weekend. I’m now very seriously considering a
move. I’m not going to write about it
now (don’t want to jinx myself!) … there are too many variables right now. But my options are being eplored. Also, several family members are working on finding
out what sorts of services are available for “legally blind” senior
citizens. It would be great if my “first
choice” moving option would cut me some slack on rent … but I suspect that’s a
bit too much to hope for
I’ll just have to wait and see. And .. I may have mentioned … I don’t *wait*
very well!
Well, laundry is all done and waiting to be put up. Suitcase is mostly empty. Many emails have been exchanged this morning.
I have started the process of emptying out piggy banks … to see how much is
there that can go towards deposits if/when needed. I’m gong to rest a bit; answer a few more
emails; finish with the banks (coins will go into baggies for now, actual
counting to be done later), get all the laundry put away, and fill at least one
trash bag with VHS tapes that no one wants.
Then I will allow myself to consider the day done. J
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