Cleveland

Our whirlwind trip to Cleveland is over--we're back and trying to adjust to Mountain Time. Tony & I took Helen and Maggie to Cedar Point. If we'd known that all they wanted to do was the arcade, we would have taken them to Chuck E Cheese!! But we did get to ride some of the rides--just not the big, fast, scary ones. On the way out we SCORED!! There was a table set up by the gate, and you could buy a bag (about 2 feet tall) and fill it with anything you wanted from the table for $10. We split the cost--got hats, jewelry, toys, bags, candy, etc, etc. For $10. We think they were just clearing out the warehouse, making room for next year's merchandise. But--we probably had well over $400 (at least from the price tags) worth of Cedar Point merchandise.
We got to spend quite a bit of time with Tony's parents. His dad looks like he's 93 (he is), and doesn't look like he can last much longer. Color is pasty white, skin and bones, hardly eating or drinking enough to stay alive. But he was really good while we were there--we took his favorite jelly donuts from Fragapane's bakery, Tony's sister made homemade pizza, and Tony's dad ate more than he'd eaten in the last week! It was good to be able to visit them.
On Monday, Tony & I drove down to Amish country--my favorite part of Ohio. We just wandered the backroads--stopped at little home produce stands and bakeries, soaked in the peaceful, beautiful rolling hills, marveled at the beautiful farms tilled and worked without modern equipment, and waved at the people driving by in buggies. It was wash day at every home--dresses and shirts on the lines everywhere! And all done without electricity. I bought enough produce to last weeks--but how do you take a watermelon in a carry-on bag?? We left almost everything with family. But found some powdered vanilla--has anyone ever used it, and how do you measure it compared with liquid? Sure made my bag smell great--maybe that's why TSA inspected my bag.
In Chicago, we got the Southwest Airlines announcement that our flight was over-booked. I was almost to the podium before the announcement ended. We got to stay a few extra hours in Chicago in exchange for credit for our return flights plus $100 each. So we have over $400 in credit--what a blessing that may prove to be soon. In exchange, instead of a non-stop flight to SLC, we got to stop in Kansas City and Denver before getting to SLC. Well worth it. But I am blaming the flight (or maybe someone at Cedar Point) for the fever and sore throat I have now that's keeping me from church, visiting teaching, and our youth fireside tonight. Don't want to spread it.

We are heading to Cleveland tomorrow--home of the Browns, the Indians, and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Did you know that Tony has his very own brick at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?? It's also home to Tony's family--which is why we are going. His dad is 93 1/2 and his health is starting to fail--"dwindling" is how he puts it. He's doing better after 5 days in the hospital, but we still want to see him "before"--
It's also almost home (an hour away) to Cedar Point--America's Roller Coast!! More roller coasters than anywhere else in No. America. Guess where we are going Saturday with our granddaughters??
Unfortunately, this is going to take the place of our Christmas in Cleveland trip--bosses are not really happy about us taking so much time off since June. I just counted up--it's only been about 4 weeks--what's wrong with that? But we were both looking forward to spending Christmas with his family.
So anyway--this really means no more camping this year. Guess we better winterize the trailer.

Julie's Top Ten Tuesdays (that's last Tuesday, not tomorrow--I'm just a bit behind!) was Back to School. What do you hate--or love-- about this time of year--
Guess I have a bit different perspective on it, as neither of us are headed back to school. To me, it's a sad time of year--it means that summer is over and I didn't do all the things I had planned to do or go all the places I wanted to go or see all the people I wanted to see.
But--on the plus side--some of our favorite places are less crowded and less noisy!! We go up to the Tetons and Yellowstone every year--sometimes several times each year. Our favorite times are September and October. We camped in Yellowstone the last week that the campground we were at was open--shoveled snow off the table--but the wildlife were everywhere, close enough to pet. And this time of year is really beautiful--leaves are starting to turn, and the days just have a nice feel to them--jacket weather in the morning and evening, shirt sleeves during the day.
So here again, I can't come up with a Top Ten--sorry again!
FYI--Tony's dad is starting the "dwindle" (his words) and his doctor even has suggested Hospice for him. We are headed out the end of next week to visit him while we can. He's not terminally ill, just old (93), and starting to approach the end.