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Published: November 20th 2012
Grandma with Xander
Xander was held and cuddled by all of us. We all even took turns feeding him. But changing him was definitely a job for one of his parents!WOW! A new grandson, Alexander Franklin, born October 31. And we're going to see him just a week later. You bet we were excited. But first, we had to vote on that Tuesday morning before driving to Florida to meet him. We got to the polling place prior to 0700 and there was a short line. In our little town, we still use paper ballots and feed them into a reader. We got our paper, marked our choices, and voted. Then back in the RV and off to try a new route (hopefully faster and smoother) to FL. We headed toward Atlanta on good state roads, and picked up I-20 west of the city and headed to the beltway. Oh oh. Sign boards warned of an accident. Our maps and GPS showed no relief, so we sat for over an hour trying to get around Atlanta. There went the faster.
We headed south on I-75 to Tifton and then east on US-82. It was dusk and I suggested KFC for dinner and we'd stop for the night at a state fishing area that had free camping. We followed the GPS towards KFC. Oh oh. Somehow we missed it. Not willing
Cleaning the pool
Trish is underneath while Josh cleans the inside of the pool prior to moving, leveling and resetting it. to navigate back streets in the RV towing a car, we headed out of town for the campsite. We pulled off 82 and followed some county roads to the site. Oh oh. Gate to the grounds was closed and locked; it was not open on Mondays and Tuesdays. (The guide book did not mention that!) Again, not wanting to unhook the car, we figured we would find a wide pull off and turn around. About 18 miles later, after wandering through cotton country and back roads, we eventually got back to US-82, about 6 miles down the road from where we had started, and much later than we were happy with. It was now dark and there were NO Walmarts, campgrounds, or other stopping spots for the next 60 miles.
We came to a little town with a Dollar General and I went in and asked for a recommendation. Girl had never had a question like that and was clearly befuddled. She had a think Georgia accent and so when she replied,
I was befuddled. Finally figured out there was a "truck stop" just across the road. We went to the gas station, checked for permission, and pulled in
Kim and Trish trimming the tree
One tree was too close to the pool so we cut it down and then had to cut to short lengths so the city would pick up on collection day. between two big rigs. I went back to the gas/grocery/snack bar and got some fried chicken and potato logs. Trish had started the generator and we sat and watched early returns, ate the chicken, and finally decided it would be a long night so went to bed. Not long after, our daughter called to ask if we were watching returns. After a bit of discussion, we got up, started the generator, and sat and watched, munching on cookies and pretzels. They finally announced for Obama, so we turned off the generator and went back to bed.
The next day we got to the kids and set up the RV. Drew was pleased to see the "V" back in the drive and had no hesitation walking out, opening the door and climbing in. We went in the house and marveled at the little (well, not so little...he was almost 8 lbs and 20'😉 Alexander and hugged Jen and saw she was doing pretty well, with the nipper being just a week old. Josh was working and when he came home, we had a grand time. Then Josh suggested we go to Sam's Club to pick up necessities and while there
Drew helping move the limbs
Drew loves to help Daddy with chores. He insisted on moving these pieces all by himself. we got a family pack of pork chops for katsu-don later in the week. We also got the needed diapers, and other items specifically requested by Jen.
The next day Kim was flying in from WV, so Josh, Drew, Trish and I drove to the airport to pick her up. Drew loves going to the airport and looking for planes. Inside, we headed to the gate when Kim showed up calling Drew's name. Poor kid was so startled by someone calling his name and coming towards him, he almost fell of the escalator! When we got back to the house, Kim was really tired since she had to get up very early to catch an early flight to Jacksonville from BWI airport. We kept pretty calm that day, but the next, Josh had definite plans for us.
Josh's above ground pool had been put in this past summer and while he had done his best on his own to level the ground, it needed more work. He had drained the pool, but we cleaned it and then held it up so he could spray the inside and get it really clean. Then we moved it to the middle
Mexican hat?
We found a pinprick hole in the pool bottom so three of us climbed under and held it up while Trish put a patch on. of the yard and took down a tree that was too close and dropping lots of leaves in the pool. It was messy work and we were filthy. But the next day, we were at it again. This time we leveled the area, digging up the high side and spreading it to the lower edge. We used a long board and level to get the ground as level as we could and then moved the pool back, checking it to place it in the best possible location. Josh took up some concrete blocks from around his patio and put them under the supports of the pool and by the time we were done, we had a pretty level pool!
We had discovered that the front turn signals were out in the RV, and when I went to replace the bulbs, they were corroded in place. I tried to loosen them but was concerned I would break something, so we went to the local RV dealer and scheduled the coach in for Tuesday morning. I wanted them to install new air bags in the front. But then learned the bags were $100 but it would take FOUR hours to install
Reading to a future Syracuse grad
Drew loves reading. We got a copy of "The Little Engine That Could" and kept it in the "V" to read to him. at $116 an hour. We passed on that option. Trish, Kim and I went shopping for fixings for a big Thanksgiving dinner for later and found everything we needed except a fresh turkey. It was a week until Thanksgiving and they only had frozen turkeys in. We got what we needed and decided to look for a turkey later.
Josh had one more task for us; help take out the sliding glass doors to the patio, lube the wheels and see if we could get it to slide better. Well, we got the doors out, but the problem seemed to be a damaged track. Finally we found a piece we could lay over the damaged track available from Home Depot. Opps, it's only available ON-LINE. So I ordered it and discovered it would take about a week to arrive. We put the doors back and that was the end of the chores.....for the rest of the weekend.
We spent the rest of Kim's visit playing with Drew, holding and feeding Xander, talking with the kids and watching TV with them all. Drew would come and go in the "V" and we had a book,
The Little Engine That Auntie Kim with Xander
She loves being Auntie Kim for Drew and Xander. So glad she could take the time to be with us in Florida. Could, that was
just for the RV. He would come out and I would read that 2 or 3 times. We had also bought some balsa wood airplanes. Trish gave Drew one, he unwrapped it, then Obasan put it together and they "flew" it in the front yard. Drew came running in the house yelling, "I flew a plane!!" We had to go out and watch and clap. Kim had a big floor puzzle for Drew and the two of them put it together in Drew's room.
Drew also was a big help (really!) when we were working on the yard. He would haul branches and leaves to the trash and keep the chickens away and the dogs away from where we were working. Of course, attention spans of 3 year olds being what they are, he often left guard duty to slide down his slides or climb on a swing.
Josh had a fish/turtle pond in the yard he had put in long ago. Well, the fish were gone and the turtles had been taken to a small lake earlier in the year. The kids wanted the pond out and Trish wanted the pond for Alabama--a perfect
Pike Industries from NH
Three generations of Pike fans. Trish worked the roads as a flagger in 1979 and Josh saw her on the roads that summer. Drew (almost) fits the child sized shirt we got from them. match. So I emptied the water and slime, found several of Drew's toys at the bottom, and finally dug out the pond and washed it out. We left it to dry and we'll come back in the spring with the pickup truck and get that and an above ground pool Josh is storing for us in his garage.
Kim and Trish made katsu-don (fried pork cutlets with egg and sauce over rice) for everyone one night and on Tuesday, we had a grand Thanksgiving dinner with turkey and stuffing, mashed potatoes, green bean caserole, rolls, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie. This was really a grand get together for the family!
The next day Kim had to fly home to WV. We had planned to leave the day after (Wednesday) but the part for the sliding door wasn't due in until Friday. Josh definitely needed help to get the doors out and back in, so we said we would stay a couple of extra days to make sure he was able to fix the door.
It was sad to see Kim go, but it had been a marvelous early family Thanksgiving and we were so thankful for having
Our family
Hard to believe how big our kids are! We are so proud of them and all they have become. all our kids AND grandkids together.
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