ROAD TRIP

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As it still hadn't stopped raining and there wasn't much we could do with Lewis, as he still can't stand up, we decided to go ahead with our tentative plans to visit the friends Tracey made in hospital last time we came. They live in Kentucky and true to form for Americans, told us it would take 3 hours max to get there, when it was actually 4 hours - they always make out everything is so close. We drove down on Saturday after lunch and it was dry and warm there. They live in a large house in the middle of an agriculture and mining area. Land is really cheap and you can just buy a plot and build whatever you want. Also true to form, they eat junk food, drink fizzy and snack on crisps etc all the time. We got there about 4.30pm but they didn't mention food till gone 7pm and then said they were getting a pizza takeaway. We were a bit disapointed as we had bought a Dominoes pizza the night before and finished it off for lunch before going down. We didn't have the heart to tell them though, and I was starving, so we just had some more. There was loads left so we were in danger of getting it for lunch the next day as well but luckily they forgot to put it in the fridge so we couldn't eat it.

The kids stayed up till nearly 10pm playing computer games, but still woke up at 6am. No one mentioned breakfast till gone 9am and they decided we would go to Cracker Barrel which was 10 mins drive down the road (of course it was 1/2 hour in English time). This was a very old fashioned restaurant with stuff hanging on the walls everywhere. They did excellent pancakes with blueberries or syrup, fry ups etc but that was 11am when we ate so I was starving. We went back to the house and chatted while they kept eating crisps and cookies etc.

We left to head back at 4pm and got back to St. Louis by 8pm. Of course we were starving by this time so went into the IHop restaurant opposite our hotel (similar to Little Chef). I ordered a mushroom and cheese omlete - it must have been made with at least 8 eggs and came with a side of 2 huge pancakes!

Got Lewis back to bed by 9.15. He had really enjoyed his visit - mainly because they had and X Box, playstation3 and a Wii! but it was very hard work as he still needs lifting and carrying everywhere as he cant hold his weight or use his legs yet. If I hold him up to try to walk, he picks one leg up to do a step but has no control over it, so its a bit worrying. He has physio tomorrow afternoon, so hopefully he will start to make some progress.

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