November 16, 2006 - Lovers Key
Here's the challenge. We need to get our belongings out of storage in the Seattle area and get them back to Florida before we loose our winter parking site at Lovers Key. We'd told them we'd be there in early October to help with an event they have, and now we're not going to be able to do that. They were kind enough to understand, and told us they'd hold our site until November 1. So, since we plan to sell the coach and buy a house here in Florida and then travel part-time rather than full time, we'd better take some time to visit friends and family on the west coast as who knows when we'll be there again. And we need to be back in Florida before the end of October. Whew! Sounds ambitious. But we took off with high hopes anyway.
As you can see, it's love-bug time! Had to wash the windshield at rest stops just to be able to see where we were going!
Couple of days and 1,035 miles later, we were sitting at Wal-Mart in House Springs, MO, near St. Louis. It was Friday night, and son Doug and his family came for dinner--and brought it with them! Mom Kerry and daughter Robin are tickling Huck while Holly and Doug look on.
Huck and Grampa enjoying each other. At least I hope Huck was enjoying me--I was getting a kick out of him! I think we were playing a game of "Who gets the Cola," but I'm not sure. That beautiful old Ford is a customer car that Doug is test driving prior to doing a full restoration on it. The family car of the moment (he's a car guy remember) is in the background.
Next morning Doug picked us up so we could leave the Jeep hooked up, and we went to see their new-to-them house. And no, Doug isn't taking up the violin. But Huck has been watching sister Holly play hers, so........ well, you get the idea. Neither of his sisters can remember when they started music, and if Huck stays with it he won't either.
Penney and the other dog (name escapes me) know their place and are very well trained. That's a treadle sewing machine on the left that Barb and I captured from her sister before she threw it away, sometime in the early 1970's, and when we left Alaska in 1981 it stayed with Doug. Glad to see it's still around.
Barb and Huck are playing a game of "push-the-car-back-and-forth" on the table, and it was hard to know who was enjoying it most. We found their new home to be quite comfortable.
Among his talents, Doug is an excellent woodworker. That crib is an example. Even when grandparents visit, the homework goes on, but I did get a smile from 17-year-old Robin.
Not sure who suggested it, but we're about to be treated to some great music. Fifteen-year-old Holly is tuning her violin, and she and Robin are teasing each other in the process.
Even if Barb is pulling the cat's tail, the musicians are serious about their work. And the music is seriously good. Both excel in every competition they enter. Holly is Concert Master for the St. Louis Youth Symphony this year, and when she joined it, she was the second youngest to ever be allowed. Should they choose to pursue careers in music, the field will be wide open to them.
Holly has a permanent bruise on her jaw/neck (?) where she holds the violin, and it's almost like a badge of honor. Huck and I are thoroughly enjoying the mini-concert.
A complex solo by Robin concludes the program, and we sure felt privileged to get a glimpse into the lives of these young ladies.
Then it was off for a field day. That snake never did catch either of those mice. Nice sculptures throughout the zoo.
Hard to fool Huck. He knew he was going to see the baby elephant and ride the train. And that fountain was NOT the baby elephant he was expecting. Not easy to stand in line for any of us, but he did a great job of it.
First things first. Train ride and then the baby elephant. Huck wanted to hold the tickets and did a great job, too. Didn't pitch the package overboard until the last stop, and the conductor was understanding. Kind of hard to see the baby elephant because it's mother and aunts were guarding it pretty well.
This is a great fountain. Water spurts from various holes at various times, much to the delight of everybody, but especially Huck. Kerry had a supply of extra everything so the little guy was comfortable all the time. Yeah, there's even a petting zoo within the zoo.
Good washing after petting goats and anything else in there, and it was off to the shop for a quick tour.
Through the upholstery room, and into the main shop, where I took a fancy to this old car.
With turn signals like this, things happened slower didn't they.
An actual Willis. One of only a few left. Lots of glass copies, but something like only 32 still exist. Very popular with hot-rodders and dragsters. Cool truck, eh?
I wonder if the guy (or gal) who did all this fancy metal work ever had a parent that said, "When you gonna get a real job?" What fantastic skill that person has. Yeah, Huck likes trucks.....and so does his dad and grampa.
While I don't particularly care for that black and yellow car, whatever the customer wants is what they get. One of several paint booths in the shop.
We end the tour looking at the boss's car. Been a work in progress for more than a couple of years now it seems. You know the old adage about the cobblers kids going barefooted.
Goodbyes were said, and on Sunday it was down the road for us.
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