Not much time for an update this week. We’re Easin’ Along toward Charleston for some sun, fun, and grandchildren hugs. We’ll be up and running next week and will pass those hugs back to you.
Until then, we send our best wishes for a safe and fun-filled Labor Day weekend. We are praying for the safety of our friends and family in Florida.
We’re supposed to be parked on the shore of Lake Ontario this week. Helen and I had put together an August trip built around our 48th anniversary and a week at the Chataqua Institute in northern New York. After hearing lectures from world-renowned speakers on the subject of Global Power, plus evenings filled with concert music and talks on lighter subjects, we knew our heads would be spinning. So, we hoped to continue our journey and explore Swan Bay, NY, the Thousand Islands region, then venture into Canada, returning to Niagara Falls before heading home. With every detail arranged and Lucy serviced we were anticipating the trip. What’s that saying about “The best-laid plans of mice and men…”
During our trip out west this spring, I began to notice some discomfort in my right knee. I did my best to ignore it, thinking it was related to some long days of driving. Swelling in the joint soon followed and, by the time we made it back to Knoxville, I was in considerable pain. I made an appointment with the surgeon who replaced Helen’s knees last year, hoping for the best, but prepared for the worst. Sure enough, arthritis had gobbled a chunk of my knee and a replacement was the best option.
This story does not end here. Helen began to notice some pain in her right hip. Helen does not wait around. She immediately went to see the surgeon who replaced my hip last summer. The verdict…hip replacement, although other options were available. Those options, however, would only postpone the inevitable. As I write this she is in the pre-op classes at the University of Tennessee Medical Center. My classes take place in two weeks.
After digesting all of this distressing news we decided that we had no business ruining a delightful trip to New York and Canada only to hobble around with one hand on a cane and the other buried in a bottle of Advil. We canceled all of our reservations, gave each other a big hug, then went to our favorite Mexican restaurant for dinner. We may be in pain, but still blessed beyond words. There will be other trips.
We flailed around for a few days after putting our Canadian trip out of our heads before Helen decided that she couldn’t stand going through August without a camping trip to calm the soul. We may not be able to hike or do a lot of sightseeing on foot, but we can most certainly sit by a mountain stream while enjoying morning coffee. Helen called our favorite campground near Cherokee, North Carolina to see if a creekside campsite was available. Bingo…she booked one for three nights, thought for a minute, then called back and booked one more night. “Take that, you #*!% hip!”
The drive to Cherokee is only two hours which is about the limit with my knees as they are now. The jobs of hitching and unhitching Lucy (trailer) aren’t as easy as they used to be with good knees, but if I take it slow, I do ok. Walking for more than about five minutes and standing with my weight on my bad knee is where I get into trouble so, after getting Lucy settled, I pulled out my rocking chair and watched the creek go by. Things could be a lot worse. I placed a video here. See if you agree.
After a couple of days of reading and creek-watching, we felt like we could handle a day-trip to nearby Bryson City, NC, one of our favorite places in the whole world. We parked Butch (truck) on the bridge over the Tuckasegee River and took pictures of the flower arrangements planted in the boxes on the bridge railings. The begonias (above) stood out very dramatically.
Our usual first stop is Bennett’s Drugs which is now an antique store. About two years ago we purchased antique silverware for our camper here at a very reasonable price, and have returned every time we camp in the area. The shop is an eclectic mix of furniture, collectibles, old photographs and music albums. The shop owner also has two talking birds caged in the store which only add to the uniqueness of the place.
We walked more than we should have, but it’s difficult to leave Bryson City. We made stops at the wonderful chocolate shop to buy some dark chocolate brittle bark and some dark chocolate-covered toffee to take back to Lucy. At lunchtime we ventured into High Test delicatessen for the best sandwiches on the planet. We took them with us for the 10-mile drive back to Cherokee to enjoy by the creek. That night we visited the Cherokee Casino to see if we could get a down payment on the impending medical bills. I did great…Helen canceled me out.
Although we did very little on this trip, we managed to soothe the pains of our worn-out body parts as well as the pain of losing out on a trip to New York and Canada, but we’ll heal. We’re blessed, and we’re still Easin’ Along…with a slight limp!
During our RV trip, our family met in Southern California to spend some time with our son and his family in the town where they live. That reunion went by all too quickly, but Helen and I were grateful for every minute of the time we had together. I’m always envious of my friends who live near their grandchildren and have the opportunity to be with them regularly.
A few weeks ago, Justin, our son who lives in California told us that he missed our mountains and needed a Tennessee fix. He was searching for airline tickets and would call us as soon as he found some that would work. He called back the next day to tell us that he booked the flights and the whole family would be with him. We were elated. Justin’s work is very demanding, and he would only be able to stay for five days. His only request was a trip to the mountains and to spend some time with his grandmother. Helen went to work on a plan the moment he hung up.
On the scheduled day of arrival, I felt that if the children didn’t land soon, Helen would explode she was so excited. She could hardly contain herself when they entered the airport lobby and greeted them with big hugs. Let the fun begin.
The first evening was a quiet one while everyone adjusted to the time zone change. Three hours is a big adjustment, but everyone handled it well after a quick dip in the neighborhood pool and, by bedtime, the grandchildren did not seem to notice any difference at all.
We planned an outing to one of our lakes for the first big event, but the weather did not cooperate, so we went to a showing of the Lion King instead. I was eager to see the remake of this movie and was not disappointed. The children sat in rapt attention through the entire movie as did their parents. As a bonus, the theater recently installed large comfortable recliners for seating, and I took full advantage.
We finally made it to the lake on day two for some fishing. A friend permitted us to use her dock and we jumped on it. No one caught fish, but any day spent relaxing on the lake is a good one.
Although neither of our children lives in Tennessee, we do have a large number of family members nearby and when a child comes home for a visit, someone usually organizes a family gathering. Helen got the word out as soon as we knew the dates for this visit, and we ended up with 29 people for barbeque and potluck side dishes. I prepared two large pork shoulders for the meal and my granddaughter helped me by injecting the marinade into both of them.
She did well. The meal was outstanding, and it was great to see everyone. My mother, the children’s great-grandmother came and had a wonderful time. At 91, she is something else. Mom still drives and is very self-sufficient. She and the children worked on Helen’s latest puzzle together.
On day four, Justin finally got his wish and we drove to Abrams Creek Campground, inside the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Our purpose was not camping, we were going to fish, swim, and hike. The weather was perfect–warm with no humidity, and Abrams Creek was flowing well after recent rains. School is in session in Tennessee, so the campground was only half full and we pulled into a campsite next to the creek for a picnic.
I love this campground. In my youth, I camped here often as a member of the Boy Scouts. When our children were little, Helen and I took them here on their first camping trip and returned often. There is a deep pool near our parking spot that is perfect for swimming and the grandchildren took advantage while their Dad tried his luck at fishing. I started out wading, but soon had to join in and took a dip in the cool, clear water.
We lingered long in the campground because no one wanted to leave. The children found a log that crossed the entire creek and sat on it while watching small trout swim below their feet. I enjoyed being back at this favorite place. My last visit was probably 35 years ago on our last camping trip here. We chose to camp in Cherokee National Forest, the subject of last week’s post, as the children grew older and never returned to Abrams Creek. The campground is for tent camping only, so our Lucy would not do well here in the smaller campsites. Nevertheless, Abrams Creek is a wonderful place for a family outing.
Time waits for no one, and the time to return to California came early the next morning. Everyone was up at 4:00 am for the trip to the airport. The children were surprisingly alert for such an early hour. Their grandfather was a bit sluggish. Coffee helped.
With the car unloaded at the airport, everyone said their goodbyes and exchanged big hugs. Helen and I watched as the four of them walked through the doors and into the terminal. I had hoped to pump the brakes on their visit and spend it just Easin’ Along, but, five short days were just that…all too short.
