We Are Home!

What a wonderful three weeks.   We traveled close to 7,000 miles, crossed many states, slept in dozens of strange beds but had a wonderful time.  Chris is a great kid, funny, mischievous, doting,
helpful, just an all-around terrific kid.  I know I might be a bit prejudice, but no, he really is just an awesome kid.

He was so excited to be home.  He loved on Papa, loved on Suki, and was very happy to see his dad.  Russ took him to a movie, dinner and to visit with his dogs.  He is happily up in his room, catching up with friends and playing his games.  Life is good for a 15 year old.

Art had everything spic and span when we got back.  We took the rental car back, then had a nice dinner at Stonewood Grill.  Now for a good night sleep.  Tomorrow is back to the schedule ... volunteering at the high school, getting Chris to orientation, picking up his schedule and books and finding a locker.   Looks like I need to pick up some groceries too.  I'm home!  Feels good!

Almost Home!

Our last stop before the final drive home.  I don't know who is more excited, Chris or Art.  I packed the car this morning while Chris took his shower.  Checked out of the villa, got ice for the cooler, gassed up the car and found Steinmart.  I could not waste  a tax-free weekend!  We picked up Art's mom and took her to lunch at Applebee's then took her back home then got on the road by 12:30.

There were a couple of torrential downpours along the way which were quite scary.  God is so good - protected us all the way.  Lots of prayers have been said in the car and He hears all.   Again we had a hard time finding a hotel but are settled in for the night at another Hampton.  Very nice staff here - impressed.

Along the way we picked up AP study guides for Chris's world history class this year, some shorts and shirts for school, and stopped at Staples for some new binders, paper, notebooks and a lock.  I think we are ready; Chris just needs to finish his second reading assignment.  He  will accomplish that in the car tomorrow.  :)

I am about pizza'd out ... Chris's number one go-to meal.  Ready for a good night sleep.  Pleasant dreams all; don't let the bedbugs bite.

If it is Friday, it must be Myrtle Beach

Quiet day.  We needed this.  Slept in - sort of, got up at 9am.  Chris got up at 10:30.  Went to lunch at Texas Roadhouse where Chris downed nearly two baskets of rolls before his salad arrived.  After lunch, had the car washed - to remove all the bugs from across the country.  Car drives better when it is clean.  So naturally you have to know it rained this afternoon.  Not just rain, torrential downpours.

We picked up Art's mom and after a short visit went to the cemetary.  She had not been there for a while and was glad for the ride.  Of course we had to sit in the car and wait for a break in the weather.    Then we bought some flowers and Chris put them in the urn at Art's dad's grave.

Dropped Mom off at home and took Chris on a round of shopping.  He left his phone charger in the last hotel, needed to replace the mouse to my laptop, and wanted to buy a new game for his Game Boy.  Allowance given on 8/1, gone on 8/2.

Went back to get Mom for dinner at Carrabba's, it is one of our favorites and it did not disappoint.  I told the manager that we were celebrating Mom's 90th birthday so we received a free dessert!  Delish.

We are packed and ready to take off tomorrow.  We will take Mom to lunch then get on the road.  Will not try to make it all the way home but get a good start so we can get in Sunday.  Chris has to pick up his schedule and books on Monday.  And I have to work Textbook Distribution at the high school.

Have a great night.

Day 16

Wrote this and then lost it before it published.  That is the way this day has gone.  You would think I had walked under a ladder or something the way things played out.  Had a short night's sleep thanks to a Sysco truck running under my bedroom window from 4 to 5am.  Then the hotel clerk refused to give me a print out for our stay.  We went to IHOP for breakfast but had a waitress who did not want to work.  Driving along from North Carolina, we were cut off badly and had to slam on our brakes.  Gigi sent us to Myrtle Beach by way of two-lane farm roads and then had us on a bypass road instead of the actual road where our hotel was located.   Then we find the hotel and they cannot find our reservation.  Took nearly an hour to get checked in.

On a very positive note, we had a great visit with our nephew and niece, Jason and Stephanie, and helped celebrate our great-nephew Colton's second birthday.  He is growing and changing so quickly.  Very smart and so cute.  

Tomorrow we will visit with Art's Mom and hopefully get her out for a special birthday dinner.  She turned 90 in July so she deserves a special celebration.  It won't be the same without her son, but Chris and I will try our best to spoil her.

Some questions we came up with when checking into a hotel, based on the last two weeks on the road:

1.  Where and when are hotel deliveries made?
2.  Does the air conditioner work and is it quiet?
3.  Is there a refrigerator and is it quiet?
4.  Is there an elevator near the room or an elevator shaft that backs up to the room?
5.  Is there a reunion or convention group on the same floor?
And this one from Chris tonight, based on our villa:
6.  Is it cozy and does it feel like home?

Chris is ready to get home.  He wants to sleep in his own bed.  He has been great lugging in all the bags tonight - to our second floor walk-up.  I know his fun-meter is pegged and he wants to get back to normal.  Back to guitar lessons, getting ready for school starting on 8/12, getting his schedule, books and teacher list.  Boy, summer has just flown by.

From Buttsville to Bottoms Bridge

We slept in this morning and it felt so good!   Gigi Garmin continues to give us the run-around.  We saw all the non- major roads through Baltimore and D.C..   So it is no wonder that we have come up with a couple of additions to our funny town names list.  First off the block is Bottoms Bridge.  Must be a kissing cousin to yesterday's Buttsville.  Then a few miles further down the road we came across Croaker.   Who comes up with these names?

Not a bad travel day that ended in Chesapeake, VA.  We just finished dinner with Christopher's other grandparents, aunt and uncle and baby Kensley.  It was good to see everyone and catch up a bit.  The baby is so cute and has quite the personality.

Tomorrow we head further into the deep south, South Carolina.  Before we started out on our adventure, I asked Chris if he wanted to fly or drive.  He obviously opted for the drive across our beautiful country.  So I asked him today if he had the choice again would he fly or drive.  Without hesitation he answered "fly!"  It has been a long couple of weeks in the car but we have had fun.  No regrets here.

Buttzville and The Land of Dreams

While driving to the Big Apple today, we passed a couple of interesting towns.  I wish we had kept a list of the funny places we have passed in the last 14 days.   The first was Buttzville.  Yes there really is a place named Buttzville, in New Jersey, of course.   Maybe we are getting a little giddy being on the road so long but Chris actually took a photo of the highway sign to the town, and we both giggled over it.  The second sign was to the Land of Dreams.  There was no explanation - was it a theme park, a sleep study or ????  

We made it to New York City.  Yes, I drove in the city again.   It has been many decades and I was a little nervous but we found our destination then drove in circles looking for a legal parking space.  What was I thinking?  We finally parked and went to visit our dear cousins, the DePierro's.  They are both in their 90's and we had a great visit with them.   After leaving we found the car, and there was no parking ticket.  Yippee!   Now to get out of the city.  We did end up going in circles a few blocks but did end up on the Hudson Parkway and headed south.

We made it as far as Aberdeen, Maryland.  We are both tired after the previous night of restlessness and text messages about the explosions in Tavares, FL.  We worried for the people there and sent up many prayers for those injured.  So tonight we are ready for bed, had dinner at Chili's, and are looking forward to sleeping in a bit.   We will be heading to Chesapeake, Virginia tomorrow to meet up with Heidi's mom and have dinner.  Chris is looking forward to seeing his other grandmother.  Wonder if he has thought this through?   Two old ladies, one young man, and plenty of time to ask him all kinds of personal questions.   Should be fun!  

Night, all.

A Day of Rest - Sort Of

No sightseeing today.   Art had to fly back to Sanford tonight so we slept in then packed the car.  You should note that the car, with just Chris and I, is packed from stem to stern all the time.  Now the trick was to get Art and his little suitcase in the car as well.  The valet came to the room and saw what we were traveling with and was so perplexed, he wanted to go get a second cart.   I informed him that it was not necessary and proceeded to direct the loading of the cart.  It was fun to watch him try to push the cart down the hall.  :).  

When we descended into the lobby of the hotel, the ramp was closed, so he was again perplexed as to how in the world he would get all the bags out to our car.   He decided to buck the line and went through the 'no entry' tape and bring the bags down the ramp.   At this point he just stood back and watched.   I think I won the prize for most bags stuffed into a Lincoln MKZ.   There was a seat for all of us, and all the bags were in and we could see out the back window.

Off to lunch then drop Art at the airport.   His flight was supposed to depart at 7:25pm and we got him there at 3pm.   There was not a soul around. The airport was closed up tight but he wanted to wait it out.  
We did receive a message from him that the flight was delayed again, but only one hour this time.

Meanwhile, Chris and I began our drive to the Big Apple.  We have reservations in Binghamton, the halfway point.  Art had programmed Gigi Garmin for us so off we went on our next adventure.  After a little more than three hours, we made it to the programmed hotel . . .  but they did not have our reservations.  'Is this Vestal Drive?'   No. That is about ten minutes away.  So off we go again, looking  for our hotel.. Now Gigi acts up a lot having us doing u-turns or going in circles, ending up where we started, but this city is crazy.  You have to do u-turns to get to the other side of the street.  Anyway, we are settled in our room for the night.  We had dinner at a local Outback, and Chris is taking  after his Nanny with style.  He got to eat free tonight.  Some days just go like that.

I am doing laundry as we type.  Thank goodness they have two washers and two dryers here.  It is going much faster tonight.  Can not wait to lay my head down on a pillow and catch up on some much needed sleep.  Good night!