Advertisement
Published: December 29th 2016
See.....I told you you could sleep in a little this morning. Before we left, I got a little body perm so now it takes me longer in the morning to get ready. No slicking back the "do" and just going. Now, I have to drag out the curling iron and run that through my pathetic strands. It's not easy trying to be a glamour girl anymore. Lulu shares my dilemma. Of course, she thinks she's a pretty gal no matter what. Such a diva. I do see she's going to need a facial when we get settled. Her face is filthy. She probably wishes I would carry her in a diamond encrusted glass case....too bad, she goes in my cloth carry bag or she doesn't go at all. Diva!!
Special Day today!! It's our oldest daughter, Lory's, birthday. Happy Birthday, Lor! We love you very much. We shall always remember this day...52 years ago. Oh, God...you say: not another lengthy story to endure. Yep....here it is.
We lived in Buffalo, NY. at this time. First child, a few twinges and I thought she was certainly ready to pop out. Cory carefully but speedily rushed me to Kenmore Mercy Hospital
....all in a terrible winter storm. We panted together. He was like Santa carrying me in his sleigh. Safely we arrived at the hospital entrance. Of course, after they checked me in...the nurses rolled their eyes and said this was going to take awhile!! So encouraging...nurses! But they knew what they were talking about. Hours and hours and hours and hours passed and I was still singing a happy tune. Cory was singing with me. Everything seemed pretty easy and good. Finally, I heard one nurse in the hallway say "We're going to do the buckle on Mrs. Guenter"! Geeze....what does this mean?....what are they going to do to me? Cory and I look at each other; frozen in fear.....me, more than him. Of course, we pictured a big strap and buckle being harnessed around my torso and being drawn tighter and tighter so as to squeeze this baby out! Yow! Ow! Yell! Moan! Sweat! Help! Heave! No way, Jose! Actually, it was a pill used to induce labor and it was placed in the BUCCAL side (between teeth and cheek) of my mouth....first in one corner, than the other, until all four quadrants of my mouth had the pills
Our birthday girl, Lory
Happy Birthday, Lor...love you lots! dissolve. It worked! No more singing....just loud bellowing. Cory was good...I wasn't so good. We had no preparation for any of this. A friend (also pregnant) recommended this old family doctor. He was nice enough but never examined me to confirm a pregnancy, let alone check on my progress. I could have been growing a monster potato for all anyone knew. He, really his nurse wife, checked my urine and blood pressure, and he just asked me how I was feeling when I would go for office calls. That was it. Of course, we were completely ignorant and stupid about all this. Two young kids (20 years old) enjoying our married life together and all that it would bring.... like babies. We were at their mercy. Ignorance was bliss....kind of. After 300 hours had passed (it seemed that long), I was taken into the delivery room. Finally, my doctor saw what I was all about. I had a spinal by the anesthesiologist. I hate needles but at this point, nothing mattered. Shoot a canon into my back if you must. Soon I was numb...paralyzed from the waist down. All was good with me now. Back then, husbands weren't allowed in
the delivery room so I was without my buddy, Cory. I was on my own now. The doctor decided forceps were needed....fine with me...I was numb and paralyzed both in mind and legs. Suddenly, I looked down where all the action was taking place and saw a tiny oriental girl between my legs, yanking and pulling on the forceps. Whoa, who is this that has appeared upon the scene? It certainly wasn't baby Lory...this person was on the outside end of the forceps. Obviously, a student...I hope so. Hate to think the cafeteria gal was delivering Lory. Well, "Tiny Student" couldn't do it...she was off the floor struggling with all her might and still not strong enough to accomplish this task. Thus, my pseudo Doctor stepped in and finished the job. Most he had done in 9 months. And that was the birth of Loren Corine Guenter at 11:12 PM on December 28, 1964.....7 lbs. 12 oz. What a great day that was for our little Guenter family. Back then, you stayed awhile in the hospital. I wanted to go home by New Year's but the doctor never came to check me out. Thank, God, for the nurses. I carried
Happy New Year...1965
Back home at last with baby Lory on so about leaving that he finally gave a verbal order to let me go. Just in time to celebrate the New Year! And with so much to celebrate.....the 3 of us were out of there and heading home to our tiny apartment. Happy Days & Happy New Year. When Kim came along, I had a different doctor.....a very good one. Alright, you survived another one of my epistles....was it that bad? Okay, I hear you!
There is one other special event today. Today is the 48th anniversary of Cory's sister, Gwen, and her husband, Bob. Happy Anniversary to both of you. We love you! Their wedding was small and special. Cory & I stood up with them at the Catholic Church in Belmont, NY. We were their only wedding party....made us feel quite special. We lived in Belmont at the time. I think Bob was working at Dresser Rand then. Some of the family members gathered at our house, standing around our kitchen table except for baby Cory who sat in his high chair, for their wedding reception. Nothing fancy.....a real down home celebration. I made the wedding cake. It looked like a swollen pancake with icing and
pathetic store-bought decorations. I'm no Julia Childs. First to admit. Fortunately, Gwen and Bob were so much in love, they thought everything was just fine. They are such good people...then and now.
Our travels have gone fine so far: Knock On Wood: Knock, Knock. We took the expressway around Charlotte, NC (485 outer-south) that our son, Cory told us about. What a magnificent difference it was. Even with Lulu navigating us, it's still a real bummer to get through the city of Charlotte. Riding in a fast, busy lane and suddenly, it says "Exit Only". Then the torture of getting our big bus (It has to be big in order to fit all of you in) over into another lane with many stubborn, non-compliant drivers who don't give you a chance .....even if we were their relatives or Queen Elizabeth. Meanies. Anyway, this 485 was great! Three big lanes, sometimes four. Good road, easy traffic, no problems. Came off at the Carollwinds Amusement Park and straight into South Carolina. Life is good.
Stopped for gas and did a walk-around. We are so bent over and stiff you would think we are worm watchers. We are better after a
little strolling.
Back on the busy road. Immediately, we heard a thump on Cory's side of the motor home. Oh No! Help! What is it? Fear...just absolute fear floods our bodies. Cory could see our gas cap flapping in the breeze. He pulled us over onto the narrow strip along the highway. That's scarier than anything. Slithering along the RV, he got the cap back in place. The rig was rocking like it was on the high seas in a mega storm as the traffic raced past us. Yikes! Fortunately, this was minor compared to the other incidents that we have encountered. Remember those? If not, flip back through the "previous" blogs and refresh yourselves. None of it was pretty. We were just thankful you were there to lend us moral support. Couldn't do this without all of you. It's always easier when others share in your stress and problems. Thanks, friends!
Miles before Rt.95, we crept along in a moving parking lot. Just from mucho traffic going South on the roads this time of the year. The truckers have a lot to say about all this. Lulu has to cover her ears. She's says she sweet and
pure....hah! Once on Rt. 95, it's not much better. Cory just goes with the flow which can be mighty slow at times. Plus, this road is bumpier. I can hardly keep my finger on this keypad to write. I've restarted some words a dozen times....otherwise you would have to cover your eyes. Bad stuff...but not on purpose. I hope Donald Trump works on the infrastructure in this country. It's a mess!
Traffic stayed congested and slow....stop and go for most of the trip, now. Lulu was bored. Passed a couple accidents and many big, fallen trees around Hendersonville, S.C. Must have been from the hurricane that had come through.
Finally, into Georgia and looking for a place to stay for the night. Cory wanted to stay another night in a motel even though our RV was useable now. Got off one exit in Pooler, Georgia - only to find that there was no parking lot easy or big enough to park our RV. Rats. Onward to another exit. Now we are at exit 92, outside of Savannah somewhere. Cory finds a good spot to pull in with the RV at a LaQuinta. He goes in only be to
Accidents along the highway
Lower left: a semi on its side. Only got a part of it. told "There's no room in the Inn, Joseph". Rats! We are surround by other motels so weary Cory checks them out. Maybe even a barn will do....OK....he books us into a Beaumont Inn. We had to move the rig. The parking area we go to works ok but Cory has to unhook the car to circle it around. Exhaustion setting in. I bet you are tuckered out, too - all this reading.
We get settled and use the car to drive a short distance to a Cracker Barrel. Love this restaurant. We were seated at a window table. Immediately, we both said in unison "Sam would like this". If you haven't met Sam yet....you will. He's a great guy and a great friend. We met he and his wonderful wife, Sandy, (with that name, she has to be wonderful), at Tropical Palms several years ago. We've become good, good friends and have shared many fun adventures together. We can hardly wait to see them again....soon, very soon. You are going to love Sam like we do. Anyway, Sam has a few interesting quirks. When he has a window seat at Cracker Barrel, he utilizes the window sill to its
Fallen trees in S.C.
There were many, many more! fullest. He likes to order many different food items and prefers them in separate dishes. Therefore, to make room for this copious spread, he lines some of the dishes on the sill. It works for him. He also likes his biscuits to be center-cut....right from the middle. So, tonight, I put some of our dishes on the sill and took a picture....so Sam could know we were thinking of him. Of course, the waitress came by and wanted to know if there was a problem. Why was I putting all our food on the sill? Cory said " No problem" but she remained puzzled and determined to know what I was doing. So I told her about Sam. She liked his choice of place settings and now wants to meet Sam. I showed her his picture. She liked him right away as everyone does when they meet him.
What seemed to be a boring day had a few zingers in it. Wouldn't have been a good blog to write without them. We've removed our mucks and winter jackets. Warm weather surrounds us. It feels really good. Hope you are staying warm wherever you are. We have many things to
do in the future, so stay well and warm. You'll have to sit alone in the back of the bus if you get sick. You don't want to do that. The windows are small back there and they'll be lots to see on this journey. You want big windows to peer out. I'm calling shot gun.
Remember to scroll way down for all the snapshots.
Advertisement
Tot: 0.097s; Tpl: 0.014s; cc: 11; qc: 35; dbt: 0.0598s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.1mb
