Dual Road Trips

While Ted traveled to San Antonio, I attended an Activity Chair get together for our Newcomers Club.  I have been a member for so long that I no longer do much with the club but I do still have my Bunco group.  I didn't know at least half of the other Chairs.  It was a nice gathering and I enjoyed meeting the new ladies.

When the government shut down on Tuesday I decided I was non-essential and took the day off.  After all, I do get a government check each month in the form of Social Security even if it is my own money coming back to me.

I was up very early on Wednesday to make my 9:15 am flight to Cincinnati.  I parked off site, rode to the terminal, made it through security and had plenty of time before boarding.  I had to change planes in Dallas.  With one of their trains down it was necessary to ride in only one direction rather than the closest way around.  Soon after I got to my gate they changed it.  So I took my bag and hoofed it to the new gate!

I arrived in Cincinnati on time and had another long walk to the Hertz bus stop to go to the rental lot but that all went well and I was on my way.  I arrived at Karen's around 4:00 and was soon eating turtle soup and a pickle loaf sandwich, two of my favorites not easily available in Texas.

While I was traveling to Cincinnati, Ted was busy winning the World Championship 20 gauge Class C shoot snaring a trophy belt buckle and a 100 pin.  It almost always takes a perfect score to win because the competition is so tough.   Congratulations to Ted!

My friend Karen picked me up Thursday morning for what turned into a 4 hour breakfast.  I also ran into Ted's best man Joe at Bob Evans while eating.  Small town west Cincinnati!  

That evening my friend Donna picked me up for dinner with the St. Bonaventure group.  Ten people were in attendance and we had a great evening.  Donna brought a birthday cake and they all celebrated with me.   

Karen and I went shopping on Friday before Donna once again picked me up and we traveled to Mason OH to Mother of Mercy, Class of 1963, 50th reunion.  We had a class of 220 and about 80 were in attendance.  We learned 18 of our classmates are deceased and that really was a sobering event.  They left us all too soon.

Joe's wife, Judy, my Maid of Honor was there, as well as Carol who was also in my wedding and is my middle daughter's godmother.  I didn't get a photo of the three of us however.  I guess we were just all too busy talking.

The third Donna met us there and I did get a photo of the three of us.  We matched the record for length of friendship at 63 years since we started kindergarten together in 1950.  Most children was 8, most grandchildren 16, most great grandchildren 5.  Two other girls were there from Texas.  It was four hours of cocktails, dinner, great conversation and reminiscing.  I wouldn't have missed it for the world.

 

On Saturday we took it easy and went to church at 5 o'clock where I got to say hello to my sister-in-law's mother who was in attendance.  Then we went to the Bier House for dinner and we met our nephew and niece Joe and Debbie.  I was able to get hot bacon slaw, potato pancake and a pretzel bread stick.  Yum!  Yum!  Now this is Octoberfest food.

After a good night's sleep I met my niece Jill for a 3-hour lunch at LaRosa's Pizza, our gold standard for pizza.  It was so good.  But the company was better.  We had a real nice visit and discussed her attendance at Kristin's wedding.  We are excited she and her immediate family intend to attend.  They will bring my Dad health permitting.

Today I traveled home without incident.  I got the car back to Hertz, made it through security and was at my gate in plenty of time.  I had two hours between flights in Dallas so I used the time to eat dinner.  Good thing too because my flight was delayed, the bus for the parking lot took forever to arrive and it was close to 8:00 before I got home.

My new computer will be brought back today without any rescued info.  The hard drive will not work.  I have a few flash drives that have some stuff so Alison will work with them and some CDs with photos.  There was very little that was terribly important but reconstructing what I need will take some time.  Such is life.

The essence of nostalgia is an awareness that what has been will never be again.

 ~ Milton S. Eisenhower