Our Grand Adventure

The children and I ran away from home. Of course my always loving husband drove us. Not sure of all the implications there.

He delivered us to my mother who drove way out of her way to pick us up. All so I wouldn’t pack up the kids and head off on a two day drive to my Grandmothers house by our selves. The timing was perfect, my mom was going to see my grandmother for a week, heading home for a week then setting off with my dad to Montana. We could ride with her to my Grandmothers house, then home and they could drop us off on their way west. We could see everyone in one really big trip.

Of course nothing is ever just that easy. We had the hail storm just before time to leave. Traveling with two energetic young children is always difficult. My hard working husband had agreed months ago to DJ a wedding dance at the time mom would be able to meet. So we went down a day early. He hung out with us over night and left after lunch the next day. Mom drove all day and met us for supper that night so we had a day to play by ourselves. The hotel had a pool and across the street was a Tractor Supply and Dairy Queen, we were set.

Unfortunately Tractor Supply was having a big sale. With all of us and our luggage mom’s car was going to be packed to the gills. I bought stuff anyway.

The kids were thrilled to see Grammy, she’s so much fun. The trip down to Grandma’s went nicely, we stopped to play and eat and let the kids run regularly. That combined with stalking Amish made for a long trip but how could we not stop to look at the Amish’s horses? They were fascinating. I always think they are pretty cool so was rather disappointed to see some lame and thin. I suppose it’s like all things and all people, there are good and bad in all things and to lump them all together is the ultimate prejudice. Like with everyone some take good care of their equipment and animals and some don’t.

We did stop at a roadside tent an Amish girl had set up. I asked about her horse and was told in very broken english that it was a male horse. Really? I also thought they spoke english? But it was fun and I bought  Shoo fly pie for her trouble. It was delicious and when we shared it later it led to a new, old, song for The Goblin Child from her Grandma:

Shoo fly pie and apple pan dowdy

Makes your eyes light up and your tummy say howdy

We stopped at a civil war memorial and Confederate cemetery where The Goblin Child prayed to be able to see a goose and had that prayer granted. They wanted desperately to play in the lake. That desire was not granted. And we stopped to see a dog statue that mom remembered seeing when they were kids and made the same trip. The story on the plaque was a little different than the one she remembered being told. Grandma always has a way of making stories more interesting.