Saturday, October 1, 2016

On the Mend and On the Road

Looking up my lab report on the medical portal from the doctor's office I read the words, toxigenic c-diff. Sobering words when you think of it like that. A toxin. Yikes, no wonder things weren't working as they should. That said, at least for now, I am good. In fact, I feel better all the way around. Perhaps it is the medicine, perhaps it is the tiny bit cooler weather, but this week I was out riding most days and I finally got to a milestone. Yup...4,000 miles ridden.
It has taken me forever, but there it is. One day I rode up to the bank to deposit my check from SunDance, (anemic if you want to know the truth), and from there I decided to head over to Cypress Grove Park to see what I could see. I saw some butterflies and a super cool moth.
Do not ask me how that photo came out so good because I don't know the answer to that! As well, the little yellow butterflies are hard to get a shot of because they flit about so much, however, somehow I got this pretty little picture.
Riding around I went over to the dock where I met a grandmother and her grandson whose name I am embarrassed to admit I've forgotten. Something like Jace? He was the most serious little two year old I think I've ever seen before.
Although they were leaving the dock when I arrived, he turned right back around to watch me, never saying a word. In fact, he was either so enthralled with me or my bicycle, he would not leave so I walked my bike over to the playground so that he might follow. Grandma said it was almost nap time and she wanted him to play just a bit before they left. Indeed, he did follow and Grandma let me take his photo before I took my leave. Those eyelashes!
Bruce has mostly been home, working quietly at his desk. I asked him if he missed everyone wanting his attention at the same time and he said no. There has also been time for some television watching and naps so that is good. Now that he is not worrying about me and the job, things are looking good. Thursday evening we needed to go to the restaurant to check on some lighting after dark. My goodness the food was delicious! On our way the setting sun made for a dramatic sky but what was really cool is seeing all the birds flying off from the power lines.
The day has come when the trip begins. Bruce is out mowing and I am furiously typing before packing and giving Baxter a bath before he heads over to Bill and Fallon's house for the week. Can't have him going over there smelly now can I?

All the hotels are booked, and it is a good thing Bruce prints everything out to put in a notebook we will take with us. I was stacking them up when I discovered that I had two reservations for the 4th and none for the 3rd!! Yup, Akron and Niagara were both booked for the 4th. Fortunately we got that sorted out pretty easily. The hotel in Akron is quite close to the home where I was a baby/toddler. On Google maps the house that came up with our address was not what I thought I'd remembered from photographs and sure enough it was not. I got out one of the pages of the album our Dad made, and here it is with Mom pregnant with Carol. In the photo where I am sitting on the grass, Pat is to the left of the frame.
Further web searching and I discovered the house is still there so I cannot wait to see it! Amazingly the address is 182 Melbourne Avenue. Why is that amazing you ask? Because later in life we lived in Melbourne, Florida! In fact, I graduated Melbourne High School.

Our trip will take us to the Ark Encounter in Kentucky, back up into Ohio, our first night in Jefferson City, Ohio, dictated only by the mileage. From there we will travel through the Amish country, then on to Akron. From my research I've learned that the community of Amish in Ohio is greater than anywhere else on earth. We may head over to Youngstown where our Dad lived, then head north to the road hugging the shores of Lake Erie on into New York, and over to Niagara Falls, Ontario. Sightseeing along the way and one awesome thing about Bruce is he is great about both stopping when I want to see/photograph something and he'll even turn around and go back! Then we will cross New York on the scenic route, on into Vermont and end up in Manchester, New Hampshire. In fact, this time next week that is where we should be if all goes according to my plan.

The last few days I've been hither and yon with no ill effects which is really something. I've had no worries, I've not needed to plan my excursions with great care, just went about my business. Last night before we fell asleep I told Bruce how amazing it felt to be able to do that after months of uncertainty and frankly, staying home a lot to avoid problems. May it ever be...

And now, packing! Typing this it reminded me we need our passports! Yikes, I bet I would have forgotten that had it not been for my trusty blogging.

On the mend and on the road,

Gail

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