My parents have been pretty mobile my entire life. Dad was an Air Force fighter pilot, so we moved quite frequently during my childhood years, but that tendency to pick up and move seems to have carried over into their retired years. It was one of the reasons Laura and I chose to live where we do. When we were contemplating getting out of the Air Force once upon a time, we debated where to live for quite awhile. In the end our desire to have a stable family life for our children won out, and by choosing that, we kind of eliminated moving west to be near my family. As it turned out, my folks have moved several times since we made that decision, pretty much validating the premise that if we moved to live near them, we'd quickly find ourselves waving goodbye...Anyway, back to our hero's journey out west....
I had a couple extra days off due to leave earned while deployed, so once we pinned down the date of the Chick-Fil-A party, I used Priceline.com for the first time to find a $420 roundtrip ticket from here to Sacramento and back. Not bad when every where else I looked had the price $600+. (Laura said she found something for around $250 to San Francisco, but that would have been a heck of drive, especially if I had to arrive late or leave early. I never saw it, but I also didn't jump right on it either.)
The flight out was fairly smooth, both flights were on time, and though we encountered turbulence over the Rockies, it wasn't too bad. The rental car was waiting upon my arrival, and the drive was pretty easy right down I-5 to the left turn off the Lodi exit.
My parents have suffered a couple of serious medical issues in the last year, so I've been trying to stop by as much as possible, despite the distance. Last September or October my Mom suffered a severe stroke, numbing the entire left side of her body. She's been in a constant state of recovery since then, and as far as I can tell.. doing a rather great job of it. She's been up and walking since about the first week after the stroke, though it is still a labored process.
Dad found out a couple months ago that he had a large blockage of his cartoid artery, so after several stops and starts, he found a great surgeon and had surgery, finding out afterwards that it had been 80% blocked! His recovery has been great, but any surgery in your mid-70s leaves a mark. Both are moving slow, and of course Mom can't drive now, so that has really put a crimp in their lifestyle.
I found them in good spirits, and moving around rather well. (I'm always concerned about Mom's mobility). Dad is driving without any issues, and they are cooking pretty good meals. They have a maid service come in once every week or so to dust and vacuum and clean, so their place is very nice.
We spent two days together enjoying each other's company and talking about all sorts of things. On the second day, Thursday, we went and picked up my nieces from Kindergarten, and watched them while my sister and her husband worked. Kate and Ally are cute 5 year olds full of energy and imagination. I'm surprised at times that my parents and my brother-in-law Bob's parents have the ability to keep up with a pair that is always on the go. But I think they reach school aged at just the right moment, and are only watched for half-days now. Still, they are a handful, but lot's of fun!That night Dad drove us over to the downtown district where we met up with Bob, Susan and the girls for dinner at a local brew pub we like. The food was great, and the atmosphere added to the experience: tall ceilings, copper vats right next to the tables, dark wood paneling on the walls and long bar. The beer selection was surprisingly limited, but the company more than made up for it.
After dinner we posed for pictures on the sidewalk outside. The evening air was warm and dry, so we had fun
posing with different groups, and everyone laughed and giggled moving in and out of the picture. Made for some good photos.The next day (Saturday), I went with Bob, Susan and the girls up to Murphies in the California foothills to go wine tasting and shopping in the local shops. It was a long drive, which I thought was rather bold with the girls in tow, but they handled it like true champions, and since the weather was blue skies all the way, we had a great drive through the California countryside.
The wine was amazing. I think we hit three or four tasting rooms, and I found three good bottles I liked enough to try and carry home. Pennsylvania prohibits shipping wine into the state, so I couldn't buy anything in bulk, thus anything I wanted to bring home I had to carry in my checked luggage (remember: no liquids in the carry-on stuff!) Three was all I was willing to risk. (As it turned out, much to my surprise, they all made it home perfectly okay). It was truely a pleasant day spending time with Susan and her family, made complete with a mandatory stop at the local rock shop so Kate and Alley could find the perfect stuffed animal! (Who knew???)
We returned to Lodi, driving into the setting sun, arriving in Lodi just in time for a delicious lasagna dinner waiting at Mom and Dad's house, the perfect cap to a great visit.It truly was a great visit, and went a long way to alleviating my personal concerns for my parent's well-being. They are not as young and vigorous as they once were, but then, when I look in the mirror and take stock of the various aches and pains I experience every day, I think to myself, "who is?"
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