Columbus OH

The excrement has struck the rapidly moving propeller blades.

Bobbi now is scheduled for major back surgery on 13 January. This means

• There will be no gulf coast vacation for us this year. Instead, we will be forced to shiver in damp dank dark central Ohio.
  
• We will miss seeing our treasured relatives -- Scott, Su, and their two children; Linda, Luther and his family, and all of the Holm-Franke relatives in and around the San Antonio-Austin metroplex.
  
• Bobbi will have to endure considerable pain and be unable to work for 6 months.
  

This will make over a year during which events beyond our control have conspired to keep us from traveling and visiting. We are acutely aware none of us are getting any younger, and we particularly regret being unable to see our grandchildren grow up.

Columbus OH

Wow! Two months. My face is red. My profound apologies to everyone for leaving you up in the air for so long a period. The details for the past two months are these:

First, as to the care and feeding of the Airstream. We picked up our tow vehicle the next day (that is, 23 September), as promised -- though the Chevie agency still had to make two last minute changes. But it certainly was good to have it back -- Lew felt almost triumphant, With the van in hand we now could proceed to the next step in preparing to travel again -- taking the Airstream back to the factory for it's regular semi-annual servicing.

We got an appointment for the 13th of October, took the coach to Jackson Center two days before, and picked it up again on the 28th. At last we were equipped for travel, but meanwhile a string of crises once again interferred with our ability to actually get out of town.

First there were work commitments (or choices). Bobbi continued to work Sundays and Mondays as a chaplain in the correctional hospital, despite the fact that the state had cancelled her contract. Then on Thursdays she went down to Jackson with her sister in order to sort through her mothers's property. Lew in his stead held five Deaf clinics in Dayton and Columbus during October, then saw an additional private patient.

And there were medical crises:

• Lew saw his cardiologist on 30 September for a semi-annual checkup; this was not really a crisis because the doc gave Lew a clean bill of health. On the other hand Bobbi had to continue physical therapy for her neck and a collapsed vertebral disc at L3-4. And then she injured her foot so had to have additional PT.
  
  
• Rob blew his right knee in the middle of September, and had surgery on Oct 14th. Although he has not lived in Bobbi's house for several years, he immediately became another dependent, conning Bobbi into nursing him and supporting him, since he could not work while convalescing.
  
  
• And finally, our priest-friend had extensive foot surgery on 7 November, so Bobbi and Lew have been attending him rather regularly since.
  
  

Bobbi's combination of work and medical commitments conspired to leave us with no consecutive uncommited days when we could get away from Columbus even for so slight a break as to go to a nearby campground. And when she did go down to Jackson, she refuse to take the dogs and myself to stay overnight.

Lew's maternal uncle and aunt (Julius and Elisabeth) who had been housesitting grandma Holm's house in New Braunfels for the past 30 years or so were persuaded to enter assisted living in Austin. However, another cousin with domestic trouble has moved in to replace them, so we still have a housesitter.

Columbus OH

A bleek summer. But now it is time to inform others of where we are at, and why.

After g'ma's death we really needed to get away from Columbus and all it's stress. We had hoped to tow the Airstream to g'ma's house, first so that Bobbi could be with her continually during the last days, and after the funeral, so she could stay close by to help with settling the estate.

None of that happened. The van remained in the shop the entire time, waiting, waiting, waiting for a little part. It seems GM had stopped making that part because of defects, replacements were being made overseas somewhere, and at best were on a boat in the middle of the ocean. Finally the dealer got NAPA to handmake a replacement, and installed it late last week. In the meantime, since the van was out of commission for so long, we decided to use the down time to replace the driver's seat.

Today the dealer's service advisor phoned to say the repaired van would be ready tomorrow! So hopefully we now will have our precious mobility, with our house on wheels once again under power.

While we waited in frustration, Bobbi had made weekly trips with her younger sister down to Jackson to work on the estate. Each trip was traumatic, opening the wound once again. But the intensity of her reactions abated progressively, and she now is able to deal with things without losing control.

When g'ma died, she had left a 16 pound coal black cat. Since neither of the other two children would take it, it went to Bobbi and Paul, adding to our menagerie. So this was one more responsibility for immobilized Lew the pet sitter. Initially g'ma's cat was very afraid of its new surroundings and it's new family (it had lived four years alone with g'ma), jumpy and defensive, but over the summer it gradually has became more sociable.

Forced to sit impatiently waiting in Columbus, Lew whiled away time surfing the internet. Daily he read religious news publications and paged through multiple blogs, adding comments that probably were far to cynical and sarcastic for the other readers. But it kept him out of trouble. That and last week's power outage. We were less affected than most people, since there was no damage to trees on our property, and we had the Airstream. We moved our most critical perishables from the household refrigerator into the Airstream's fridge, but still lost several sacks of food. And of course it was during this outage that the Airstream's fridge chose to act up -- this particular model is infamous for a defective PC card.

So now that we can tow, it is time to take the Airstream over to the factory in Jackson Center for it's semi-annual checkup. We also need the fridge's PC board replaced, and a new set of tires. At that point we will be able to travel with confidence -- and are we looking forward to it.

Columbus OH

Epilog

Bobbi's mother now lies beside Bobbi's father where he was interred 43 years ago, at the top of the hill which is Beechmont Cemetery, above the impoverished little river town of Pomeroy.

The days between the last post and this were hectic, of course.  Sunday (the 22nd) Lew devoted mainly to phoning a variety of relatives and friends to inform them, while the family in Jackson planned out the funeral -- to be carried out on Thursday.  Monday Lew made arrangements to board the dogs, and Bobbi returned to Columbus late in the evening.  

Tuesday (the 24th) Lew scanned photos of Audrey and emailed them to Pete, who was to use them in creating a collage and a video.  In the afternoon Bobbi and Lew shopped for needed supplies, and picked up their formal shoes from the van which still sat at the shop.  Paul picked up Scott at the airport, brought him home, and after supper Scott showed the many photos his family had taken on their recent trip to the Virgin Islands.

Wednesday (the 25th) we all went to Jackson to participate in the afternoon and evening viewings at the funeral home.  Both were well-attended, including some of Jackson's most influential citizens.  The affection the town had for it's longtime resident, newspaper columnist, and church articipant was very obvious.  But the entire family was quite whipped when they got home afterwards and fell into bed.

Thursday morning (the 26th) was to have been g'ma's 80th birthday.  The schedule planned for the day meant that everyone was rousted out of bed early.   The pallbearers assembled early at Audrey's Methodist church (the upscale church for the community leaders) and conveyed the coffin into the sanctuary, where she again lay for viewing from 9-10 am.

This was when the accumulated stress started to get to everyone.  During much of the viewing, Paul closeted himself in one of the bathrooms -- an expected happening because he suffers from irritable bowel syndrome, and his attacks are triggered by stress.  But when he emerged, it was obvious that he not only was distressed and weeping, but also quite drunk.  Lew added to the intoxication by giving him an additional anxiolytic, in hopes that it either would allow him to regain control, or else knock him out.  Unfortunately this was futile.

At 10 am the service proceeded, an amalgam of g'ma's previously stated wishes, the wishes of the two preachers, and the wishes of g'ma's other two children.  It was extremely emotional -- Bobbi gave one of her triumphalist sermons with tears in her eyes, while Scott was a bit more controlled.  The service ended as g'ma had requested:  the "Battle Hymn of the Republic" with all the stops out on the organ.

At noon, after the service, the ladies of the church served a luncheon for all of the participants.  As is the style there, it was not heart-healthy.  Nevertheless, one could gather enough vegetarian, low-fat items to make a satisfactory meal that also was healthy.

After the luncheon it was time for the participants to shift over to Pomeroy, about an hour's drive away.  Paul and g'ma's friend Sandy promised to coordinate with us and caravan over -- but they disappeared.  We waited and waited, then finally left on our own.  The road to Pomeroy is narrow and winding, so one doesn't make much speed.  But in addition, Lew got lost, and Bobbi had no idea where we were.  After about 15 minutes someone got us turned around in the right direction, and we arrived almost 45 minutes late.  We learned that contrary to stated plans, everyone else had gone on ahead.

The graveside service was brief, and everyone prepared to depart.  But Paul could not tear himself away until the coffin had been lowered into the grave.  Finally he and Sandy also left.

The ride back was anticlimactic, and the family all gathered at g'ma's house to eat leftovers.  Then exhausted, all fell into bed and slept with varying degrees of success (Bobbi in particular slept fitfully).

Bobbi and Paul remained in Jackson on Friday, while Lew took Scott back to Columbus and to the airport for his scheduled flight home to Tampa.  While Scott got to the terminal with time to spare, Lew was not back at the car before Scott phoned to say his flight was cancelled, and would Lew please come back and pick him up.  They slept another night, but had to wake up early Saturday morning to get Scott to the terminal on time for his early flight to Charlotte, NC -- however, they succeeded.

Lew returned home, and after lunch dressed for mass.  Paul and Bobbi were late returning to Columbus, so Lew had to go to mass by himself and Bobbi met him there.  Afterwards they talked extensively with the priest, then went home for supper and Prairie Home Companion.  

Paul, on the other hand, did not return home that evening.  Bobbi chose to go to Frazier Health Center the next afternoon, as a distraction and relief from the tragic and stressful events of the week.  But after she returned home, Paul did not make an appearance until 10 pm, and he was stoned out of his mind -- red eyed, paranoid, and hostile.  He admitted that this time his drug of choice had been pot -- which he always justifies as the only thing he ever has found that successfully quieted his irritable bowel.  But he did promise to accompany Bobbi back to Jackson the next day (that is, today, Monday the 30th).

Today Bobbi had to be up early to start the day with an accupunture session.  She went from there to Sam's Club, returned home to unload, then went to Kroger.  Bobbi had another episode of profound weeping and complained of the pain.  Paul did appear as promised, and to Bobbi's and Lew's great relief appeared to be stone cold sober -- and back to the amiable Paul.  They packed the mini-van, and left about 6 pm; Bobbi confirmed their safe arrival by phone about 8 pm.

Very hectic, and very sad.

Columbus OH

e finita

Bobbi's mother went from time to eternity about 10 am yesterday (the 21st).

Despite the inexorable slowness of mother's deterioration essentially all the time since we returned from Florida, when the call finally came, it still somehow seemed a surprise to Bobbi. She broke down completely, uttering screams that could be heard throughout the neighborhood, weeping fountains of tears. Lew sat with her and tried to comfort her with touch. As soon as she paused for breath, Lew got her to take an anxiolytic which took effect in less than a half hour. Still, she was completely devastated.

Of course she insisted on going to Jackson immediately. However, she was so disturbed it seemed unlikely that it would be possible for her to arrive there alive. Fortunately, Paul also had come back the preceding night to pick up some things. Lew contacted him on his cell phone, and he agreed to drive the pair of them to Jackson as soon as he could get over to the house.

Despite the closeness with which Paul had attended g'ma during the preceding two months, he appeared calm and in control -- so Lew felt comfortable with the two of them making the trip. Lew of course had to stay behind to care for the animals. (Everyone would have preferred to had taken the animals with us in the van, but unfortunately the van had been in the shop the entire preceding week, with it's return not in sight.)

Bobbi phoned Lew in the evening. It was obvious that, despite a substantial dose of anxiolytic, she was still extremely disturbed. Nevertheless, she carried on a coherent conversation, asking Lew to notify several people by phone. This included Scott, who would be doing the service along with Bobbi. Scott had been making arrangements to come visit g'ma before she died, so had arranged to arrive in Columbus on Tuesday afternoon. Of course at that point, no funeral plans had been made.

The next day (the 22nd) Bobbi phoned again with an update and a schedule: funeral on Thursday (the 26th -- mother's 80th birthday), viewings on Wednesday at the funeral home and Thursday morning at the church, before the service. After an 11 am service, mother was to be taken to Pomeroy where she was to be buried next to her husband in old Beechgrove Cemetery on the hill above the town. Bobbi gave Lew a list of people to phone in order to inform them of this schedule, and he complied. Later in the evening Bobbi phoned Lew again at about bedtime, sounding somewhat more composed, perhaps because she had spent three hours planning the service.

*********************************************************

In the interim between the last post on the 6th and yesterday, time flew by in a hectic blur of activity as Bobbi tried to be in two places at once: in Jackson with her mother, and in Columbus doing all her usual activities -- mass on Saturday afternoon (with festival in the evening of the 7th), FHC on Sundays and Mondays, taking the van to the shop Monday evening, purchasing groceries on Wednesday or Thursday, and superintending the AC service check and carpet cleaning on Friday (the 19th).  Paul and Lew attempted to make the impossible possible for Bobbi -- Paul remained in Jackson almost the entire time nursing g'ma, while in Columbus Lew dogsat, went to the bank, took pets to the vet, put away clean dishes and laundry, and cleaned when Bobbi was absent in Jackson, then attended two clinics on Wednesday (the 18th -- SVFC) and Friday (Dayton).   

So when the call came on Saturday, it was an exhausted and all the more vulnerable Bobbi who picked up the phone.

Columbus OH

Not a happy time. Bobbi is stressed to the breaking point. The one bright spot is the aptitude Paul has shown for nursing g'ma. He really is doing a remarkable job. He, the grandchild, is the one g'ma really leans and depends on at this time, the one whose presence seems to reassure her. Interesting (at least to the psychiatrist in me).

Friday (the 30th) was a repeat of Thursday -- Bobbi in Jackson, Lew dogsitting. But the next day (Saturday the 31st) Bobbi stayed in Columbus and insisted on doing the grocery shopping at Kroger before they left for mass. Afterwards, Father Benecki surprised them by inviting them with Nancy Hoskins to stay for a home-cooked meal of vegetarian pizza, salad, and the inevitable French wine. Bobbi demonstrated her usual low tolerance for alcohol (and her earlier medication with clonazepam) by promptly becoming a very happy drunk -- and everyone else relaxed a little.

Sunday (the 1st) Bobbi was back to her Jackson commute, then decompressed by going to Frazier Health Center on Monday (the 2nd). It goes without saying that Lew was dogsitting.

Tuesday (the 3rd) Lew had another Deaf clinic at St. Vincent Family Center, so Bobbi had to do the dogsitting duty again (which was good for her). But the next day she was back in Jackson again.

Thursday (the 4th) was a change of venue, though not a change of pace (that is, hectic). Bobbi had scheduled a very busy day for herself here in Columbus -- Dr. Ruane (accupuncture) at 9, Dr. Hackshaw (connective tissue disease) at 11, and her hairdresser at 1, then after supper a visit to a former AT whom they had sort of shepherded through her pregnancy, to see her new baby.

But today (the 5th) Bobbi is back in Jackson, while Lew once again holds down the fort with the three sleepy furry children, and catches up on correspondance (like this blog).

Columbus OH

This post must be largely pro forma, since little has changed.

On Monday (the 19th), after much fussing and arranging, Bobbi's mother was moved from the nursing home in Columbus to one near her home in Jackson. Bobbi joined the group at Jackson, while Paul and Lew remained in Columbus to ferry the Honda to the agency for some badly needed service -- a move necessary for Paul to drive safely back and forth to Jackson.

Tuesday (the 20th) Paul and Lew took the dogs with them down to Jackson to visit with g'ma. Bobbi arranged to drive g'ma's minivan back to Columbus so that Paul could commute in the Honda after it was serviced, and Lew could transport the dogs in the van.

On Wednesday (the 21st) it was Bobbi's turn to go to Jackson once again, while Lew and Paul stayed behind to retrieve the Honda.

Thursday (the 22nd) Paul moved down to g'ma's house in Jackson, which permitted him to assist her almost around the clock. Lew once again was the dogsitter, so he drove them to refill a propane tank (one of their favorite excursions) as a form of entertainment. Then he did the nit-picky work of treating Smokey's (staphylococcal?) dermatitis.

Early (for us) Friday morning (the 23rd) Lew took Smokey over to the vet to have his dermatitis shampooed, and Bobbi restocked groceries from Krogers.

The 24th (Saturday) Bobbi commuted down to Jackson, while Lew dogsat as usual, taking them on walks, etc. Bobbi returned in the middle of the afternoon, in time to go to mass with Lew. Then both escaped into the nostalgia of Prairie Home Companion.

Sunday (the 25th) was another commute to Jackson for Bobbi, and dogsitting for Lew. So the next day (Monday the 26th) she escaped and decompressed by a change of scenery -- to Frazier Health Center at the Pickaway Correctional Institution. It's true this was servicing a group of very sick or dying inmates, mostly older, but it was enough of a change from watching her own mother that it actually helped her relax. Of course, Lew dogsat.

Monday (the 26th) was the official day to celebrate the traditional "Decoration Day". (Of course, the government has renamed it "Memorial Day" and focused entirely on the military.) For Bobbi this was just another commute to Jackson, since g'ma's disability prevented them from visiting any of the family graves. However, Bobbi's sister Rhonda did get to some of the graves. And the next day, Bobbi commuted again.

Yesterday (Wednesday the 28th) Lew was committed to taking Smokey to the vet first thing in the morning, and then conducting a Deaf clinic at St. Vincent's Family Center. So they reversed roles and Bobbi performed the dogsitting duties. But today (Thursday the 29th) she is back in Jackson once again.

Columbus OH

This is another installment for masochists and relatives.

Sunday (the 11th) was Mother's Day, and we all had a tear-jerker in a private dining room at the nursing home. Everyone attended: all three children, their spouses, and the two grandchildren. Paul took photos with his digital camera and meticulously waited attendance on grandma. Bobbi and Rhonda managed a remarkably close approximation of the traditional Georgia Mae dinner -- good enough to satisfy grandma. As always, the food was in surplus and was parceled out to the different families for leftovers. Lew got the remnants of the two pies: lemon and chocolate, and polished them off in a couple of days.

The rest of the week Lew was mostly alone at the house, dogsitting. Since Bobbi used the van to go visit with her mother as much as possible, he was pretty much isolated at the house, walking the dogs and surfing the web.

On Wednesday morning (the 14th) Lew had a little variety when he went to St. Vincent's Family Center for their Deaf clinic. His other variety was on Thursday morning (the 15th), when he escorted Paul to the gastroenterologist for colonoscopy and esophagoscopy. Paul did not enjoy the experience, and coming out of the anesthetic was pretty grouchy. In the afternoon Lew took Smokey to the vet to have a rash examined, and picked him up just before supper. But since the vet's office was only a few hundred feet outside the door, this did not introduce a whole lot of variety.

On Thursday Bobbi suffered still another blow when the oncologist phoned her to report that the repeat MRI showed radiation had not materially affected mother's intracranial metastases. When pressed, he advised Bobbi that average survival for someone in mother's circumstances was about two months. Naturally, she was devastated, and Lew spent considerable time just being with her.

On Friday (the 16th) Bobbi visited her internist and got a prescription for a sedative.

Today (Saturday the 17th) the three children all met at the nursing home to transmit the negative news to their mother -- and at this point Bobbi has not yet returned.

Columbus OH

This is another post for those among our readers who are either masochists or relatives.

There is both bad news and good news. The bad news is that on Friday (the 9th) Bobbi's mother and all three children went to the oncologist. He examined mother again, reviewed everything, and finally recommended that it was time for mother to enter hospice. Mother reacted with the classical Kubler-Ross signs. Bobbi came home devastated and of course tearful. I have not seen or spoken with her sibs, but one must presume that they are severely affected as well. Obviously, with this turn of events, we are unlikely to leave Columbus (where it is still raining most of the time) for some months.

The good news is that Paul has become a real trooper through all this. Basically, he has pulled 2 1/2 shifts per day caring for grandma, and done a wonderful job. Not that he hasn't taken a drink, and not that hasn't seen some of his enabling friends in the short time he has off -- but he has had so little time for that life, that overall he is vastly improved. And strangely enough, despite the severe stress of what he is doing, he seems almost to thrive on it.

And today was Lew's first stint as an "Extraordinary minister of the Eucharist". He got through it without either falling over his feet or dropping the chalice.

Stay tuned.

Columbus OH

Adrienne has chided me for going so long without posting. So even though I normally don't post from Columbus, I will fill in the intervening days for her.

Admittedly, for the most part, those days have not been pretty, and it is hard to develop much enthusiasm for reviewing them. Wednesday (April 9th) started off free of crisis. Paul was out of the house doing God knows what with the friend who had been staying in the basement. Bobbi went off to DRC's central office, so in her absence, Lew surfed. The meter lady came by to check the gas meter -- ho-hum. Bobbi returned and set out lunch and Lew cleaned up afterwards -- just as we always had, even while we were in Florida.

But then it hit big time. Lew went down to a basement room we had not seen since Christmas -- and found that Paul and/or the friend had stored some illegal materials there. When Lew showed them to Bobbi, she too was upset and angry, and immediately tried to contact Paul on his cell phone -- no answer.

A couple of hours later, Paul returned with the friend. Bobbi and Lew confronted them at the door and ordered them to get rid of the stuff -- which they immediately complied with. However, Paul was surly and angry, treated us as if the incident was our fault, and avoided us more than ever.

That evening after Bobbi made her usual phone call to her mother (Audrey), she observed that her mother had sounded weak and confused on the phone -- a symptom which she attributed to the new chemo mother had started the preceding week. She phoned her brother (who lives in Jackson just two blocks from mother) and asked him to check on mother. Mother already had an appointment scheduled with her oncologist the morning of Friday (the 11th), so everyone including Bobbi's younger sister decided mother should keep that appointment and the various new symptoms be addressed at that point.

Friday morning Bobbi drove to the oncologist to rendevouz with her mother. She returned about lunchtime to explain that the oncologist had decided to admit mother to the nearby upscale hospital. Paul also stopped by about this time, and Bobbi attempted to get him to go see a therapist, but he angrily dismissed the idea. So Bobbi returned to help her mother with the hospital admission. She did not get back to the house until after 9 PM.

Saturday (the 12th) Bobbi went to the hospital early, joining her sister and brother. An MRI was done and showed metastases (from her 10 year old breast cancer) in her brain -- the cerebellum to be specific. The metastases had squeezed off the flow of cerebro-spinal fluid, causing pressure to build up inside her brain and compromising its functions. The on-call oncologist ordered immediate large doses of steroids (which decreases the inflammation and shrinks the brain) and started arrangements for radiation (also to shrink the metastases).

The next day (13th) mother already was showing improvement. It has continued slowly but steadily since. Then Paul really suprised us by volunteering to be grandma's 24/7 private duty nurse (he had the time because he was out of school this quarter). The hospital provided him with a bed and he stayed in grandma's room, fetching and carrying and helping her with anything she desired. And he has continued to do a super job of it right through today. He said he enjoyed this work, so Bobbi and I encouraged him to turn his schooling towards some form of nursing.

Monday (the 14th) the hospital started radiation and continued through the week. By Friday (the 18th) they had finished enough and grandma had improved enough so that she was transferred to a nursing home on Saturday (the 19th). Paul continued to attend her faithfully in the nursing home, the same as in the hospital. The three children also continued to take rotating shifts, so that during the day grandma usually had two people with her.

The next week (21-26 April) she was transported daily to the hospital for more radiation treatments -- a procedure which went smoothly. Not so the nursing home. As grandma continued to improve, she became much more aware of her environment, and more demanding. Of course the food was institutional (= terrible), delivered late, and delivered cold. Fortunately, grandma had Paul to run interference for her and demand better service. The home also was understaffed, so that grandma soiled herself on more than one occasion before the summoned staff arrived. Definately not a five-star facility.

Finally tonight (the 27th) Paul phoned to explain to Lew that grandma was showing bilateral dependent edema. Obviously, the push to hydrate her had succeeded all too well. Paul had raised her feet on a chair, but I explained to him that the feet had to be higher than her heart, so he went to get her put to bed.

While all this was going on, grandma's children and I all had commitments to cope with. Rotating shifts, Bobbi managed to go to her prison hospital each Sunday and Monday, Pete to his newspaper most days, and Rhonda kept her insurance business under control with the limited time available. The dogsitting duties defaulted to Lew, who also had a couple of Deaf clinics to conduct in Columbus and Dayton. Of course, Bobbi and Lew always made 4 PM mass on Saturday.

So the crisis management that always seems to dog our stays in Columbus continues on. Surely it cannot be good for us, psychologically or physically. So as usual we look forward hopefully to the next time was can get on the road again.

Columbus OH

Ugh! A month down the tubes. A month of management by crisis -- all the reasons Lew despises Columbus. Our "work week" always started off at a high point, with the signed mass. The next two days Lew vegetated and caught up on email while Bobbi worked at the prison hospital (while we were gone, DRC had cancelled her contract effective 1 April, but she is continuing to work without pay.) In between, Lew saw (Deaf) patients two days in Columbus, and two days in Dayton and Piqua. The other days were devoted to medical appointments, one a day. And Robert and Paul brought us their series of crises. Out of town? Not a chance.

And after the blizzard, it rained. And it rained. Every few days, a cold front would waft over the area, preceded by two days of more or less intense rain, followed by one day of clearing. Spring? Only in the last two days has the sun shone, the ground dried out on the surface, and the temperatures warmed up enough for Lew and the dogs to be outside with the Airstream door open so Smokey could sit in it.

Not that all was gloom and doom, with no postitives. Smokey continued to heal from his surgery; he and Lew took two one-mile walks every day. He gets feistier and feistier, so we know he is feeling good -- and we are so grateful.

Audrey and Bobbi are a different situation medically. Audrey had to go back on a rather aggressive form of chemo, which really compromised her mobility and independence. And finally she got nauseated and began to puke. Fortunately, her oncologist was prepared and placed her on a very effective medication that had her feeling better within hours.

Bobbi continued to have difficulty with her right shoulder, whip-lashed in our collision last October. Before we went to Florida, a very skilled AT had worked patiently with her and obtained significant improvement. But while we were gone, the orthopedic group forced them out of business -- and our magician-therapist had her baby prematurely. So we came back having to start over. But last week, the first PT we were able to get in to overstressed both of us, exacerbating both our symptoms and setting us back at least 3 months. So come the 22nd we have appointments with a new provider. We shall wait and see how that goes.

So Lew now spends his time trying to get a few days in a row free so we can go out of town -- but it is an uphill battle.

Columbus OH

The blizzard has passed, and we are digging out. We hunkered down when the snow started on Friday afternoon, and since the show didn't stop falling until Saturday evening, we missed 4 PM mass and stayed inside until this morning.

For once, the weather gurus had understated the case. The official weather station at the airport reported a total snowfall of 20" -- plenty of copy for the media. The city ploughed the street early, piling up the snow in front of our driveway, so there was no way we were going anywhere. Bobbi got on the phone to one of her colleagues, who put her in touch with the man who ploughed his church parking lot. The latter agreed to come out and do our driveway, arriving a little after noon. He cleared the driveway in short order, so Lew cleaned off the van and pulled it into the street and back as a check.

After lunch Bobbi went to the supermarket to replenish our larder -- we had had no chance to do so since we left Florida, and some things were getting pretty low. After she finished, Lew walked the two very reluctant dogs.

So now we are good to go, and Bobbi expects to be in prison tomorrow morning.

Columbus OH

Well, we came back -- to a blizzard! Even Bobbi has regrets, big time.

After the last post, we monitored the weather predictions for the first week in March. The computers started predicting still another winter storm for the Ohio valley, to take place on the 6th (Thursday). So regretfully, we hitched and headed up the road a day or two earlier than was absolutely necessary, hoping to beat the storm.

The last week in Florida was as low-key as the rest of our stay. Smokey continued to improve day by day, but still had to be watched 24/7 to assure that he did not do something forbidden (for example, jump or play). Since this always tied up one or the other of us, we didn't go anywhere or do anything -- and were beginning to enjoy it. Bobbi did do some pastoral activities with Scott, while Lew did the dog-sitting, and Lew got to go to Scott's church the last Sunday before we left (the 24th). Neither of us went to his Wednesday evening bible study, though Bobbi made an appearance at the Friday night study. In between, except for an occasional errand to a store, we just lay around and surfed, occasionally walking the dogs.

Saturday (the 1st) the idyll ended. After sleeping late (as usual), we hitched up, said our goodbyes, exchanged big bear hugs, and pulled out. After the short distance on FL-54, we were northbound on I-75 on autopilot -- a mind-numbing 55mph on the cruise control, just keep the rig between the two lines and don't fall asleep.

About 1 PM we pulled off at a Pilot for refueling and a lunch (DQ and a bun for Lew, salad for Bobbi, and the chicken from the sandwich for the dogs). Then more mind-numbing until we left Florida. At the first Georgia exit (Lakeland) Bobbi selected a campsite in the Eagle's Roost RV Resort. It was obvious that this was an old KOA camp retreaded to a Good Sam's. The sites were level (not surprising in that terrain) and the bathhouse clean. But it was the standard KOA layout from 1970, the fixtures and finishes rather dated. But they were clean, the sites were shaded, and they had WI-FI. A couple of years ago we had stayed in the new KOA just across on the other side of I-75 and found the sites rather crowded together. The older park had a lot more space.

Sunday (the 2nd) we pulled out usual routine: sleep late, walk the dogs, eat and stow the moveables, move the dogs to the van and back mind-numbing on I-75. Refueled and lunched at Perry. Then at mile marker 222 (Macdonough) we pulled off and Bobbi took a site at the Atlanta South RV Park. We stayed at this park both in 2006, and also in 2001 -- when it was a KOA. Please see the travel-logs for those years for a description of the park.

Monday (the 3rd) also was routine: sleep late, walk the dogs, eat, clean, and stow, and back on I-75. This time it was less mind-numbing because we were to negotiate the fearsome Atlanta. But once again we stuck to I-75, second lane over, cruise control, and made the transit without significant incident. Clearly, the secret is (1) stay on I-75, do not use the bypasses; (2) stay in the second lane; (3) do not attempt to transit during rush hours (both our transits were around noon).

The transit of Atlanta was so quick and uneventful that we made it all the way to Sweetwater TN and got off at exit 62 for the same KOA camground where we had stayed on the way south, and also where Lew got sick last year. Again, described before, no need to repeat. Once again we hunkered down with the WI-FI and went to bed late.

Once again we looked at the weather, and saw that a winter storm still was predicted for Thursday. Figuring that it might dump enough show to make the Ohio roads impassable on Friday and Saturday, we determined to head for Lexington KY the next day.

So Tuesday (the 4th) started off with the same routine: routine wakeup, mind-numbing on I-75 as we headed north, lunch at an old quick-stop at the junction with old US-25 in Jellico -- a place where Lew's family certainly had stopped 60 years before.

But the afternoon became more exciting than we had anticipated or bargained for. As we trundled on north through the Kentucky mountains, more and more ominous rain clouds formed to the west. Soon we drove into a thunderstorm -- not usually a cause for concern for us. But this turned out to be the granddaddy of all thunderstorms -- sheets of solid water were flung at us at high speed by violent winds. For a while we had serious thoughts about a tornado, but fortunately, we escaped with a good fright. We were more than a little puzzled, because passage of the storm front had been predicted for the next day.

After the storm we continued apprehensively on, concerned that the weather change might dump snow on Ohio prematurely. But by the time was arrived at the Kentucky Horse Park once again, the rain had faded to a light drizzle. We did a good deal of searching, and found a nearly level site with no flood waters between it and the bathhouse. We needed to just barely lift the coupler off the ball, and we were level.

When we got inside the Airstream we found that the violence of the storm had managed to drive water through some undiscoverable aperture and dampened the carpet. After a good deal of searching, Lew gave up, turned the little fan on the wet spot, continued on with supper, and went to bed at a reasonable hour -- no WI-FI.

Wednesday (the 5th) was anticlimactic. Up late as usual, back onto I-75 at a mechanically-controlled 55, around the Cincinnati bypass, and up familiar old I-71 past flooded rivers and creeks to OH-315, then off at the Lane Ave exit and west one mile to Osborn Drive.

Although the yard and driveway were a sodden soggy sloppy mess, we backed into the drive and into the back corner of the yard without incident. Plugged in, unhitched, we simply took the dogs into the house and left everything possible behind in the a/s. We first connected with the WI-FI, then had our routine supper, then started catching up on communications: snail mail and email.

Instead of the predicted winter storm, Thursday (the 6th) turned out to be sunny and beautiful. The dogs got the long walks that Smokey especially needs to heal his knee. We did little else but sift snail mail and email. But by evening, we noted that the weather gurus had decided to predict a major winter storm for Friday and Saturday. We congratulated ourselves on our good fortune for deciding to get back on Wednesday instead of Friday (which a few days earlier had been predicted to be clear).

Friday the 7th opened uneventfully. After our usual late arising Lew walked the dogs again. Good choice, because just as he was finishing, a few snowflakes began to fall. Shortly it became a heavy downfall -- and the weather gurus upgraded their winter storm warning to a blizzard warning, until 4 PM Saturday, with an expected accumulation of 10-15 inches!

Stay tuned.

Lutz, FL

This will be a pro forma entry -- the week has been pretty much routine in Florida for Bobbi and Lew. Smokey has continued to heal -- remarkably well, and we thank God. The weather has been bland -- a little warm today, but compared to Ohio, completely unexciting. We'll take it.

Scott had a little excitement -- his alternator went out, so Lew has ferried him around for the last day or so.

All the real news has been relayed to us by Paul. The weather in Columbus has been dangerously terrible, with plenty of snow and ice (we don't miss it). And the furnace quit working, so he had to make an emergency call for service ($208, but cheaper than Scott's alternator). But that's so far away....

And one evening Paul phoned Bobbi to read to her a letter from her prison, informing her that she was being laid off. But a few phone calls disclosed that this was part of an across-the-board cost-cutting measure on the part of the state, so she has plenty of company. And she is working out away to get around the situation, so this doesn't disturb her a whole lot either.

However...we are feeling a bit triste -- only one more week with Scott's family.

Lutz, FL

We haven't posted for a while because almost nothing has happened since our last post. The days have been quiet and void of any sort of excitement. Of course, it would have been easy to go anywhere in the Tampa metroplex -- but we really found we preferred sitting in our son's driveway, doing nothing.

Well, not really nothing. We still have to babysit our surgery patient, and sometimes "babysit" the two grandchildren. But neither is much of a job: Smokey mostly lies and dozes, is very obedient and cooperative. And the two grandchildren are even less trouble -- quiet, obedient, never do anything out-of-line (we keep trying to catch them in something). And it is very rewarding to observe Scott as a successful pastor. So no challenge at all.

Now that he has had his followup x-ray, Smokey is free to travel. Of course it is too late to go over to Texas now, so we talked it over with Scott and decided to hang around for another 12 days -- then head up I-75 towards Columbus. Not looking forward to that.

But when all is said and done, we truly have been fortunate. We were lucky enough to get a referral to a really first-rate orthopod, and our beloved "cell dog" is doing well, medically and psychologically. And it has been wonderful having time with Scott's family -- that never would have been possible without Smokey's medical problem, because we never would have dared impose on one family for so long. Never again will we have so much time with our grandchildren -- and our son and his wife. So things work out.

Lutz, FL

Friday (the 1st) and Saturday (the 2nd) were unremarkable, routine days -- warm and muggy, especially in mid-afternoon. So no one felt like doing much of anything. Scott and Lew did walk together in the afternoons.

Sunday (the 3rd) was different. When we woke, there was a dense and heavy fog outside, and it did not clear completely until after 10 AM. Scott's family left for church about 8:30, while Lew did not have to leave before 9:45. Scott put on another impressive performance -- no wonder that he is popular among the congregation.

The afternoon again was hot and humid, discouraging physical activity. Of course, the local residents expressed satisfaction that the weather was beginning to warm up, but we found it at least ten degrees above our comfort zone.

Then in the evening everyone else gathered around Scott's projection TV in order to watch the Super Bowl. Lew dogsat, as usual. He used the time for family phone calls -- to Linda (who did not answer), to Luther, and to Lew's aunt Aggie. Aggie informed him that her 92 year old brother, Lew's uncle Theo, had died about 5 PM the preceding day. Lew in turn passed the sad news on to Luther.

Lutz, FL

At last, a week without major crisis -- indeed, with some forward progress. However, this means that in terms of our activities, they were -- well, let's admit it -- boring. And at this point, we are thankful.

It has been hard to realize we are connected to the rest of the world. While we occasionally have heard of winter storms to the north of us, here the weather for the most part has been balmy, sunny with occasional light rain, a little on the warmish side for us and especially the dogs. Where Ohio has been reporting temps in the teens, 20's, and even single digits, our highs have been 75-80. In the morning, even a light sweatshirt usually is too much.

So we have pretty much ignored the outside world, and feel better for it. We have fallen into a routine: up between 8 and 9 AM, walk the dogs, have breakfasts and pill call, check email, have lunch, walk the dogs again, correspond or just surf. Scott and Lew have taken long walks some afternoons, but Bobbi has continued her obsession with the Indianapolis Colts. After the standard 6 PM supper we have socialized with the grandchildren (Scott and Su too), surfed a bit more, and gone to bed between 10 and 11. And the next morning, we started over. The single bump in the routine was on Sunday, when everyone except Bobbi (she got to dogsit) went to Scott's church service.

One outside event did impact us. Lew's aunt Irene had emailed him to the effect that her brother (Lew's uncle Theo) had been hospitalized after being found unresponsive. She said that CVA had been ruled out, but could not be more specific than that. So Lew phoned his aunt Aggie, who lives near Theo in San Antonio. She had more details: he had been in the hospital 13 days, initially they thought he had a CVA, but MRI's and other data were negative. So the next diagnosis they picked on was meningitis, and they put him in isolation. But after four days they took that back as well. Finally they decided he had pneumonia, and that was the story up to the weekend.

Our own single item of news is that yesterday (Wednesday the 30th) we took Smokey back to Maitland to have his sutures removed. It went off without a hitch, and the vet reported he was doing very well, wound looked fine. She meticulously instructed us how to begin exercising his muscles, so we did not tell her that he already had been walking, bearing considerable weight on the leg, and in general trying to do more than he was supposed to do -- we pretty much had to restrain him. So we feel he has passed a major milestone successfully -- but we still are anxious parents.

We have another appointment to take him back for x-rays on the 14th. Assuming those are OK, we'll hang around a few more days and finally wend our way,, slowly and too early, back north.

Lutz, FL

Crisis #n+1: Tuesday (the 22nd) morning Lew was walking Smokey and noticed that the fur on his posterior was smeared with feces. So when he got Smokey back inside and up on the bed he looked more closely and discovered an ominous situation -- the feces were diarrheal, bile stained, permeated the perianal fur and the base of the tail and had started to dry out on the edges. And the skin under the contaminated fur was grossly inflamed by the alkaline enzyme-laden fluid.

Clearly a bit of an emergency. So Lew spent most of the remainder of the day trimming the contaminated fur away strand by strand with blunt-tipped surgical scissors, alternating with soaking the inflamed skin. Not surprisingly, Smokey objected to this manipulation and wriggled like the proverbial worm. So we went to bed with a prayer that we had caught the situation quickly enough to avoid complicating his recovery from the surgery. And as we went to bed, the rain started, slowly.

An impressive storm battered the Airstream throughout the night. Next morning (Wednesday the 23rd) we found a bucket that Lew had placed behind the Airstream had floated about four feet down the driveway!

We apprehensively checked Smokey's inflammed tissues, and Lew thought he saw significant resolution of the inflammation. So we watched him carefully as we tried to conduct another housekeeping day -- washing our accumulated soiled clothes and bedding, as well as our dirty sweaty bodies. After Lew ate another supper with Scott's family while Bobbi dogsat (Lew did bring her her supper) he sat down next to Smokey to rip CD's, while Bobbi continued her obsessional correspondance with mycolts.net.

Lutz, FL

Much has happened in a hectic and anxious week.

Sunday (the 13th) morning one of the members across the street picked Bobbi up and took her along to Scott's church -- while Lew volunteered to dogsit. He also used the time to clean he interior of the Airstream. Smokey continued to limp, but otherwise seemed his normal, playful self.

Monday (the 14) in the morning Bobbi phoned the office (in Maitland) of the vet whom our friend had recommended. Luckily, she was able to get an appointment for Wednesday at 1 PM. Then Lew phoned the social work student who was following one of his Dayton patients and made recommendations for increasing the intensity of her service. He followed this up with a confirming email and snail mail. Bobbi and Scott spent much of the day talking shop.

Then in the evening we were invited over to the home of two of Scott's parishioners who live almost across the street from him. He was deeply attached to his two dogs as we are, so the trials and tribulations of dog care occupied much of the discussion that evening.

Tuesday (the 15th) we were in a holding pattern as we awaited our chance to get Smokey seen. So while chewing our fingernails, we caught up on domestic tasks: laundry, showers, shampoos, etc.

Late wednesday (the 16th) morning we drove Smokey over to Maitland (just NE of Orlando). To do so we had to travel I-4 for the first time, and discovered it was a madhouse easily rivaling the more widely renowned mess in Atlanta. But despite 100 miles of the unremitting dense traffic, we arrived early for the 1 PM appointment.

The clinic looked much like any suburban orthopedic clinic for humans. The intern and Dr. DeHaan each went over Smokey independently and carefully -- and surprised us by telling us that, rather than dislocating his hip, he had torn his anterior cruciate ligament. They asked to keep Smokey for a couple of hours for lab work and x-rays. So we decided to go to lunch. We drove south on US-17, passing up several fast food stands. Before too long Bobbi spotted an Olive Garden and asked to eat there. Lew was only too eager to oblige. Of course we gorged ourselves on our favorites.

After lunch we returned to the clinic, where Dr. DeHaan reviewed Smokey's x-rays and lab work with us. He described the indicated surgery -- and we consented immedately. He told us he had an available spot on Thursday's schedule, so we jumped at the chance to simply leave Smokey and get it over with (and incidentally eliminated the need for two more trips across I-4). They told us we could pick him up anytime on Friday -- assuming there were no complications. So we drove back to Lutz, this time in rush-hour traffic, and survived.

Early on Thursday (that is, about 9:30 on the 17th) morning, just as we were waking up, one of the vets from the clinic phoned Lew to report that Smokey's surgery was finished, that he had done well, and that he was resting peacefully. With that, we relaxed, and decided to do get out and see the neighborhood. Scott took us all (that is, including Saphire) to a clergy supply store north of the church and Wal-Mart, where Bobbi replenished our larder. In the afternoon Lew ripped CD's from Scott's collection.

Friday (the 18th), after getting up at the usual late hour, we did our normal morning routine, loaded Saphire into the van, and made our second drive over to Maitland to pick Smokey up. At the beginning of the trip Bobbi confirmed (by phone) that Smokey was indeed ready to go. When we arrived there was a little waiting around for a room, but soon we were in one, the intern brought a sleepy Smokey in, his left forearm, the lumbosacral area of his back, and almost the entire left leg shaved. She proceeded to review the surgery and his status -- including x-rays of the joint with its new supporting plate held in place by a bunch of big screws, then gave us the home care instructions. So we paid our bill, walked Smokey up the ramp we had purchased (at first it confused him a bit), and once again headed down I-4 towards Lutz -- not in rush hour this time.

That evening went uneventfully, though we watched apprehensively. Smokey went up and down the ramp and did his elimination unevenfully. Fortunately he left his sutures alone, so we had to put the protective collar over his head only while we both were asleep.

Saturday (the 19th) we took turns watching Smokey. In the afternoon Scott took Lew to visit with his member across the street -- another dog lover who discussed in detail Smokey's surgery as well as the past surgeries of his own dogs. In the evening Lew dogsat while Bobbi watched the Green Bay-Seattle game.

By Sunday (the 20th), baby-sitting a large dog who wants to be more active than prescribed was getting tedious -- and we still have weeks to go. Scott had committed Bobbi to help with confirmation class, so she had no choice but to accompany him to the church until mid-afternoon. Then she spent the evening watching football on Scott's projection TV. This left Lew to dogsit alone, and amuse himself surfing the web. Lew is pretty accustomed to doing that, but nevertheless by evening it got old. And once when Lew turned his back just momentarily, Smokey jumped up onto the bed. Obviously, vigilance had to be redoubled..

But there was one advantage to this slip. In order to get him down off the bed at our bedtime, we had to bring the ramp inside. Lo and behold, this turned out to be much easier than we imagined. We got him off the bed. outside, and back in without trouble, put the collar on, and had a pleasant sleep while the mercury was in free fall outside.

Monday morning (the 21st) dawned bright and cold, but warmed rapidly in the sun. Lew walked both dogs while Bobbi set out breakfast, and soon we were in shirtsleeves. This time we took the initiative of immediately putting the ramp up for Smokey to climb up into the bed, where he stayed until now (that is, mid-afternoon) while we both did email and surfed. Very relaxed, he snoozed away the day -- as did Saphire.

We go back to the clinic on the 31st to have Smokey's stitches removed, and again 2 weeks later for x-rays. Oviously, if we stay here for those procedures, we will be unable to make it over to Texas for the second straight year. Smokey also is supposed to get a second set of films done four weeks after that, but obviously we will be back in Columbus then. Fortunately, OSU has one of the premier vet orthopedic programs in the country, so we don't anticipate any trouble.

More later.

Lutz, FL

Wednesday (9th) we got up at our usual tardy pace, so it was 11:15 again before we were back on I-75 headed towards Atlanta -- which turned out anticlimactic. We followed the advice of son Scott and the campground owner and headed directly down I-75, right through the center of town. Lew simply kept plugging away at a steady 55, mostly in the second lane from the shoulder. No slowdowns, just the famous heavy traffic. Soon "civiliation" thinned out, and so did the traffic. After we stopped for a brief but leisurely lunch, we continued on about halfway to the Florida border, where Bobbi suddenly became bored. She consulted her books and directed Lew to get off at exit 127, where she rented a site at the Twin Oak RV Park close to the interstate, west of Elko GA.

Twin Oaks was a basically clean park. The clerk was very offended when Bobbi inquired about the condition of the bathhouse, and indeed it did turn out to be clean -- but certainly not exceptional. And the fixtures and decor were a bit outdated. But certainly it was an above-average park, nothing objectionable except a bit of a walk to the bathhouse.

The next morning (Thursday the 10th) was hardly different: on to I-75 at 11:15, a small lunch at North Valley, and by 4:30 Bobbi was tired. So she directed Lew to the Ocala North RV Park, where she rented a site on the edge of the park. The park obviously catered to long-term renters, who took up all the sites near the bathhouse. We had to park nearly two blocks away -- certainly an advantage for fitness. And the edge site was conveniently across the road from the dog walk -- and we did. Again, the rest rooms certainly were clean, but no match for the Michigan State Parks.

Friday (11th) was another routine repetition: up not quite so late, back on I-75 by 10:15, so we pulled into son Scott's driveway in Lutz a little after noon. No one was home, but we shoe-horned the Airstream into the back corner of the driveway and unhitched. We were preparing to go to a nearby gas station we had just passed, but Scott came home and let us into the house.

Scott showed us around, and we properly admired. They had managed to get a pleasant, large but reasonably modest 30-year-old house with a tiled roof and fenced in rear yard. Everyone had their own room, and Scott had his precious music equipment and books. Su had her (concrete) gargoyle in the corner of the back yard, obviouly a future garden. Su arrived shortly after Scott, and the grandchildren (George and Brian) later after school. The boys were all excited to welcome the dogs, and the dogs were equally excited to be welcomed.

Scott was eager to take us out for supper at a nearby Italian restaurant. But unfortunately as we got ready to go, Smokey slipped getting into the van, and injured his left hip, though we did not realize at the time. When we returned after supper, Scott and the two boys were eager to take the dogs and I for a walk. But on the way back, we noticed that Smokey was limping badly, favoring the left hind limb that had slipped getting into the truck. Because of his hip dysplasia, Bobbi and I were very apprehensive that he had damaged the joint. Lew dug out a supply of a NSAID that the vet had given him for last summer's trip and gave Smokey the first dose.

Lew slept very poorly Friday night, very concerned about Smokey's hip and using his medical training to visualize all sorts of potential damage to the joint. By dawn he was a wreck, all of his PTSD symptoms from last winter having returned.

Saturday (the 12th) we let the dogs into the back yard to urinate and defecate -- and play. Smokey seemed significantly improved over the previous night, actually playing and running a bit. But after Bobbi and Lew had breakfast, Lew began a flurry of email writing, trying to locate reliable veterinary service. Fortunately the owner of the Airstream list lives in Ocala and has considerable experience with dogs. After some difficulty locating her new email address, Lew was able to send her a post. She responded quickly with two referrals whom she said were exceptional canine orthopedic surgeons, and Lew was a bit more relieved. He also let the dogs into the back yard again in the afternoon, where Smokey ran, jumped, and played with considerable enthusiasm. So clearly the situation was not an emergency, and Lew began to relax a bit more.

Meanwhile, Bobbi and Su went grocery shopping for the Airstream. And then Bobbi hunkered down with her football obsession. After a modest supper, the football continued, and Lew caught up on his email + this blog.

Cartersville, GA

Back on the road, at last! Now everyone relaxed... almost a little bored.

By Saturday (the 5th) the cold snap had passed. we went to our last ASL mass for a while (they really are very hard to find) and said goodbye to all our friends. Sunday morning (the 6th) Bobbi packed and Lew hitched. Then we both said "good-bye" to Paul, Rob, and the kitty, and by 1 PM the wheels were rolling -- down OH-315, I-71, I-275, and I-75.

Like the past couple of winters, we spent the first night in the Kentucky Horse Park campground outside Lexington, KY. Only the weather had changed -- unseasonably warm, we walked back and forth to the bathhouse in just our sweats.

Monday morning (the 7th) we resumed our trek down I-75, and by 4 PM we had arrived once again at the KOA in Sweetwater, TN -- where last year's trip had been aborted. The campground had new owners, pleasant enough. This time the stay was remarkable only for the continuing warmth -- 68 when we arrived. And it stayed that warm all night -- again, we walked around in our sweats or even shirtsleeves.

This morning (Tuesday the 8th) we slept in until 9, yet were back on I-75 by 11:15. This afternoon we stopped early, about 2:30, in order to avoid having to negotiate Atlanta's freeways at rush hour. Bobbi rented a site in the KOA here. This one was a very standard KOA, vintage about 1970. Rest rooms were clean and neat, but the paint choice was terminally ugly; obviously, no woman had a say in the pick. But the graveled campsites were leveled well, and there was a very good, broadband WI-FI signal, so we spent the rest of the day taking advantage of it. As a plus, the freeway is barely audible even outside the Airstream.

So tomorrow, driving hell.