Our trip was short but fun, relaxing, and good. We got in late on Thursday (plane got in around 9:30 p.m. and we rented the car and drove 3 hours to Lynchburg). On Friday, we tried (unsuccessfully) to get up early to adjust to the VA time and then spent the day helping with last-minute preparations for the party that night (80th birthday party for both of my grandparents). The party was good and was much better once the thunderstorm came along and cooled things down (it was so humid...made me appreciate CA). All of Nannie and Pop's kids and grandkids (I guess meaning those hosting the party) had nametags so the guests could know how we were connected to Nannie and Pop. I was "Meg's Katie" and Jon was "Meg's Katie's Jon."
On Saturday, we slept too late again and got up in time to have an early lunch and go to Lucy's high school graduation. All I have to say is "bless you" to my parents for sitting through three of those things! The ceremony was in a big auditorium, and people clapped politely when their child's name was called. Then Lucy's name was called, and Greg let out a big holler. It was quite funny. Jon, Greg, and I went to Dairy Queen after the ceremony and then headed back to my parents' house to pack up our things, because we were going to spend the rest of our visit out at Hanshill (the house in the country). We did have Lucy's graduation dinner at the house first, and that was one of the nicest times--out on my parents' screen porch, with good food and candelight. My parents gave Lucy a computer for graduation; Greg gave her a custom-made necklace (with a diamond from a great-grandmother's piece of jewelry); Jon and I gave her a computer videocam, a new Bible (with red and oragne suede), and a devotional book. Congratulations, Lucy!
On Sunday, Greg, Lucy, and I played tennis at Hanshill (Greg beat Lucy and me 6-2, 6-4, despite his tendency to do double-hitties). Then the guys shot guns (shotgun, .357, and a pellet gun). Nannie and Pop came out for dinner. It was a fun day, mostly spent relaxing and talking. We stayed up to watch the Lakers-Pistons game, but I went to bed at halftime (Jon came down to the cabin with me, though, to kill all of the camel crickets I could find, and then he went back up to the house to watch the rest of the game).
On Monday, it still wasn't hot enough to go swimming in the pond or clear enough to go for a good drive, but we had a good time relaxing around Hanshill. Mama, Lucy, and I paddled around the pond in the boat (well, they paddled while I kept my eye out for spiders, because I'm a wimpy city girl). Jack (the dog) tramped through the woods and kept up with us; he scared a huge frog into the pond. Jon waited on the dock with a gun, hoping to see something to shoot (a dove, a beaver) but with no luck. We had Silver Pig barbecue for dinner, and that was very fun. We laughed pretty hard at Greg's impression of what he would do if he went into Daily Bread, the place Mama volunteers at that serves lunch to the homeless, to try to get a free lunch. "I carry boards..." (I guess you had to be there.) He also gave a good impression of the ladies at the hamburger place that stays open 24 hours: "Cheesy, all the way, going!" That night, Jon again humored me and came down to the cabin to kill all the new camel crickets. I am so glad I married a husband who not only isn't scared of all those bugs, but also who doesn't get annoyed that I meticulously search a room and point out all the bugs for him to kill!
Here's a picture of a camel cricket (they are so gross):
On Tuesday, we left Hanshill at 6:15 a.m. to make it to Dulles in time for our 11:15 flight. We made it with plenty of time to spare. Our flight got in to LAX a little early (around 1:00), and we got home right at 3:00 to a clean, empty house!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I unpacked, did 3 loads of laundry (after Jon fashioned a little thing to keep the broken dryer door closed), went by Sears to pick up our finished 2nd anniversary pictures (and bought a new skirt and shirt while I was there!), did the week's grocery shopping, cleaned the windows in the 2nd bedroom and put up the original curtains (the toile ones--I had made some darker denim ones to put in there for the past 9 weeks), and had dinner with Jon (he did hamburgers on the grill and I did the fixings and some fruit for fruit salad). We ate while we watched the Lakers lose the last game of the finals! It felt great to get that all done, and we went to bed easily at 9:45 or so. I feel completely back on CA time--I woke up once at 4:30 this morning, but then slept until the alarm went off and got up at 7:00.
No comments:
Post a Comment