Late summer to Ohio

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We visited Ohio in April and posted pictures of the snow. We figured, going back over Labor Day...couldn't possibly have bad weather...right? Actually, the weather there was fine...a bit cooler than expected, but delightful. However, the Florida hurricane kept us checking on family and friends who were in the path and worried until we heard all had survived and were fine.

This was our fourth trip up this year. As mentioned in a previous blog, Mom had a stroke in late December and after a brief hospital stay, was in a rehab/nursing facility right on the grounds of the retirement community where they lived in Chagrin Falls. Unfortunately, she did not respond well to the rehab and with increasing issues from dementia, it became obvious she would not be going back to the apartment to live; that was why Dad had downsized in April and moved to within easy walking distance of the nursing facility. We try to get back every couple of months to see Mom and support Dad with companionship, love and sometimes plain distraction.

Our trip back in July was over the 4th and we got to experience Americana with the Chagrin Falls Fourth of July festivities in the center of town. There were speeches, Boy Scouts, antique car displays, and lots of flags and decorations. Quite delightful. I went with Dad to downtown Cleveland to the VA where he got his hearing aid checked and then he took me to Corky and Lenny's, a Cleveland landmark, for great corned beef. Another day we took Dad to Guido's in Chesterland for eggplant Parmesan and spaghetti, which gave him an extra 2-4 meals!

This trip up started on Sunday and we got a bit past Cincinnati and stopped for the night at a Walmart in Wilmington. It is well off the interstate in a small town and once the hot-rod boys left and went home, it was very quiet. We even went out to a local Big Boy and had dinner. The next day (Labor Day) we pulled into the Maywood Community in Chesterland and got set up in the campsite and then went in to visit Mom.

Dad has been slowly culling items from the apartment that just won't fit and trying to figure out which pictures to hang where. It's difficult and we offered to help, but he is still mulling it over. I did check out his old vacuum which wasn't working and after looking at it a bit (may qualify as an antique!) Trish and I went and got Dad a light weight cordless "stick" vac. For the size of the apartment and amount of dirt, it works fine. He even "practiced" one day when were weren't there and proclaimed it very workable.

One night I went to the Eagles Club to meet brother Todd and his new lady friend, Tammy. A band of local lawyers and judges was performing and they were really good. All "oldies" (both members of band and music) and well done. Hard to talk, but managed to make a date to have Todd, Tammy and Kelli over a couple of evenings later for a cookout. We did hot dogs, baked beans and mac&cheese and sat around the coach just catching up. Tammy seemed reasonably comfortable; may have been because she grew up in Medina County, near College of Wooster, and was impressed that I didn't rhyme the college name with a barnyard critter.

We also got the chance to see several friends from John's teaching days in the area. First we saw Carla Durnbaugh, recovering from hip surgery. She is starting to become mobile, but still needs her rest. We visited with her at her apartment in Chardon and did take out lunch. Then a few days later we met with Marlene Napalo (classmate from HS and former teacher) and Carane Ladd (another teacher from the junior high). We got a chance to try an Italian spot other than Guido's and it was good! Lots of hugs, stories and laughs. And for all the ladies, all too little time.

We managed to get Dad to go out for lunch one day and went to Bob Evans, a chain not seen in the south. Although they no longer had the spinach salad with strawberries (summer being almost over), I was still able to get a salad with their famous poppyseed dressing. Most important was getting Mom used to not always having Dad there for meals and for Dad to have a bit of a change of pace. One afternoon we checked in and Mom had been taken to the larger open dining area and was at the head of a table, feeding herself some, and seeming to engage in conversation with the others at the table. When she saw me, she smiled and sort of waved, and looked like her old self. Sadly, it was a passing moment, but it was good to see her in such good spirits.

The nursing home has undergone a management change and new staff is arriving, both for administrative purposes and for caregiving. A lovely nurse that has been with Mom since last January is taking leave to add to her family and will be sorely missed by Mom, Dad and many other residents. I attended a "meet and greet" with some of the new admin folks and their talk was impressive; now to see if actions follow.

Finally, we pulled up stakes (and electric, sewer and water lines) and headed back to Alabama. We had yard to mow after torrential rains from Irma, doctors appointments to attend, and friends coming from several places during the month of October to prepare for. We promised Dad we'd be back, hopefully in early to mid November. We're grateful to the folks at Maywood in Chesterland for fitting us into a camp slot and look forward to our return visit in slightly cooler weather.

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Photos

Camping with Dave and Bonnie
Lodges offered us a spot to camp with hookups at their house in Culpepper in July. Not only good friends, great campground hosts, even offering us their pool in back. So we fixed a cookout for them when then came home from a camping trip and then took them to dinner later. They'll visit us in October.

Dinner with Kati, Joyce and Joe
We met at Olive Garden with Kati (surrogate granddaughter) and Joyce and Joe LaMantia. Joyce was our real estate agent back when and we have stayed in touch over the years. We're still trying to get her and Joe to come visit us in Alabama.

4th of July in Chagrin Falls
Yep, old tyme speech on the square, Boy Scouts, old car displays, etc. We sat outside a cafe with coffee and cookies, watching and listening and enjoying the small town ambiance.

The Falls
Chagrin is noted for the falls in the middle of town with the popcorn stand on the bridge over the falls. Over the years, not much has changed, and it is a prime photo op. Town was decked in decor for the holiday and the weather cooperated wonderfully.

Tim Walters and family
We first met Tim as a young Marine in Japan in 1990. We have stayed in touch through the years and enjoy being with his whole family. Daughter Mika is an up and coming wrestling star and hope to make it to the Olympics. She was in northern OH for a wrestling camp, so we took a day to drive up and see her on her last day and got a chance to have dinner with Tim and Mika's younger brother, Kenji. We were sorry wife Hiroko had to work.

Maywood Community, Chesterland, OH
ALL the RV slots were filled. These were single wide mobile home spots adapted to RV lots. They started with 4 and now have 8. Believe it or not, we considered moving here when we first got married in 1971; so now it almost feels like coming home when we visit.

Kelli and Tammy
It was SO good to see Kelli and meet Tammy, Todd's new lady friend. They came out to the RV for a cookout and just sat and chatted for a few hours.

Guido's--ravioli
Trish couldn't decide if what kind of sauce she wanted on her ravioli--mushroom, sausage, or plain. So she asked if she could have mushroom sauce WITH sausage. Think the waitress misunderstood as she got a HUGE bowl of ravioli with mushrooms in her sauce AND 2- quarter pound sausage logs with more sauce. (Also got the yummy home made yeast rolls with butter!)

Guido's--simple spaghetti
All I wanted was a plain plate of spaghetti with meat sauce. Trish convinced me to get the regular size, not the child's portion, so we'd have some leftovers. Yeah....had enough to feed us TWO more meals...each. (Also had the homemade yeast rolls!)