March 17 through April 6, 2021
Happy St. Patrick's Day! We left Texas today to go to Pennsylvania. Our three goals - Visit and take Greg's Mom out for lunch for her 91st Birthday on the 22nd; second, spend some time with Greg's Sister Gwynne who is having hip replacement surgery on the 24th, and lastly, visit a few friends and see what we can see on the way home.
Happily the long, mostly direct trip to Pennsylvania went well, despite a few traffic whammies on I-10 in Louisiana and again on I-81 in Virginia. With sleep and rest stops in Hattiesburg, Mississippi (Cracker Barrel), south Knoxville, Tennessee (Cracker Barrel again), and Gettysburg Travel Stop near Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, we arrived at Gwynne's on Sunday, March 21st. West Chester, PA.
On the 22nd, we traveled the 45 minutes or so to New Holland, PA. A few Amish buggies out and about and the beginnings of Spring showing. We visited with Mom in her apartment at Garden Spot Village for a little while, then headed to Shady Maple for a fantastic smorgasbord lunch to celebrate her 91st!
We had a table in a small side room and in addition to table spacing, the only nod to COVID was that everyone had to don a pair of disposable gloves each time they visited the buffet. A huge variety of tasty food and we each sampled quite a few goodies. Desert featured ice cream and a variety of pies and cakes. (I had to go for the apple dumplings.) Next we shopped at the local grocers for some supplies for the upcoming week before returning Mom to her apartment.
Back to Gwynne's house to relax, settle in and do a few chores before we dropped her off for her surgery early the morning of the 24th. We got the report that all had gone well, and picked her up the following morning! ( Only patients and staff were allowed inside the building.)
Gwynne was a fantastic patient over the next week, with walking, icing and elevating the new bywords. Greg continued with projects indoors and out while Beth shopped and managed the meal schedule (with some generous help from friends of Gwynne). We picked Mom up again and brought her to Gwynne's for a 2-day visit. Beth did some work to add pictures to Mom's stories she is creating in a program called Storyworth. Fun looking at old photos. I especially like this one of Mom on her wedding day with her mother!
Being in great shape to begin with, Gwynne showed amazing daily progress, so that 10 days after the surgery she was beginning to use a cane rather than a walker, and was almost totally off the pain meds, other than Tylenol! Time for us to move on and begin the long ride home as friends will step in to help out as needed. Weather has been cool, with a few sunny days and some rain. But Spring is definitely in the works with crocus, daffodils and a few blooming trees. This forsythia was in Gwynne's yard.
April 4 - HAPPY EASTER
Leaving Gwynne with plenty of leftover Easter ham and other goodies, we headed west to visit my sister Anita and her husband Kevin.
Stopped by the farm where Beth grew up - the property is almost surrounded by development now.
Anita and Kevin were working at their Rock Shop near Hanover, PA so we met them there and heard about their plans to build a new house on this property and sell their current home! Exciting things ahead as they plan to sell their Alarm Business and begin a new phase of life! We helped uncover their RV and hope to meet them on the road one of these days!
Lots of daffodils in their yard too!
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it is quiet and beautiful.
Lots of Mountain Laurel, but it won't bloom for another month or so. We see only 2 other people on the trail, a couple of young girls who breeze by us.
