Travelogue

Taking Muffin for a stroll in the parkOnce again, as we do each summer, we pulled out of the driveway, filled with the anticipation and excitement that comes with the prospect of 3 glorious weeks out on the road with my 3 favorite people on Earth, my husband and our two teenage boys. Well, actually this year make that 4—my 87-year-old mother was coming—not the whole way, but as far as Ohio where she would be spending 3 weeks with my brother and his family.

Then we would pick her up again on our way back home. A perfect solution to getting a woman who won’t step foot on an airplane out to Ohio and giving me the chance to relax and enjoy my trip knowing she was in good hands.

James managing Muffin's poopSo, our first stop was her apartment one mile away from our home, where we proceeded to load an incredible amount of luggage for one tiny woman. “You know they do have a washing machine out there,” I told her as I lugged a third garment bag filled with what the boys like to call her matching “jumpsuits”. “I just want to look nice,” she said sweetly. What could I say to that? Once we had completely filled the bed over the cab and half the back area with her stuff, we loaded her in and drove off. I glanced back and saw her very contentedly sitting on the back couch across from her two best friends. She looked so happy that I was a little afraid she might try to stow away all the way to Yosemite.

After a very long drive, we finally got to the Kroger Supermarket in New Albany, Ohio, where my brother had made arrangements for us to park overnight. He said his Community Association would not allow motorhomes to park in the street. I, however, think he has watched Chevy Chase’s Christmas Vacation too often and had visions of Cousin Eddie dumping his sewage tank in his driveway.

That evening we got my mother comfortably settled in and had a great time visiting and catching up with my brother and his family. However, rather than sleep in his house, we said our goodbyes later that night and headed back to the Kroger parking lot so that we could get a very early start in the morning.

Description

My brother's home in a suburb of Columbus, Ohio