A return to reality

I'm back!  I have been waiting until I could begin at the York Heart and Health Institute to pick-up where I left off.  For those of you who are "from away" this organization is under the the York Hospital umbrella, and as such I am getting a discount because of my volunteering at the hospital.  Previously, I have been working out at another fitness facility in town, but I have switched because there is a medical component at the YHHI.

To go back to my trip to South Carolina to visit Perry and Jan, I arrived on Saturday afternoon. On Sunday we took a 2.25 mile walk around their neighborhood.  Later we went to Perry's new job site and toured the beautiful and very impressive music facilities that he is responsible for. As we watched the Superbowl that night, I was very mindful about what I snacked on and the portion size of the chili that Jan made.

The next morning I went with Jan to her health club and Nu-stepped and tread-milled for an hour.  Jan took off in the afternoon for Boone, NC for some appointments.  I was watching the weather station in the afternoon, and the forcast got worse and worse and it appeared that I would be driving right through a major snow storm if I left the next day, as planned.  I soon decided that I needed to leave Perry's NOW and not wait 'til the next morning, so I called Perry to let him know (without success,) quickly packed up (leaving behind my new diabetes meds and foot tent!) and started on my way around 5:15PM.  I called Lolly to ask her if it would be OK if I were I would be arriving after midnight, and she assured me everything would be set for me to sneek in. I called Perry again and he was just arriving at the front gate of the Golf club and we met on the road to say our goodbyes. Once I left, I called Sudie to let her know I was on my way (and left a message on our answering machine.) At some point, Sudie called me back and was a bit upset because she was planning her last "fat dinner" before I arrived back, and felt she now had to stay up late straightening the house so it would look "perfect" when I arrived home. We laugh about the fact that her first words were not," I can't wait to see you, I've missed you!"  I guess that is what being married for so long and feel so comfortable with one's spouse is all about, that whatever comes out is OK and not taken personally. I kew she loved me and missed me without having to say it.

I wasn't sure what the roads would look like as I approached Washington.  At one of the gas stations, I heard that many gas stations were out of gas so I stopped to top off my tank when it registered 1/2 full.  I was surprised and very pleased to find all the major roads had been cleared from the previous major snow storm that had hit a few days previously. As I got close to Oakton, VA, around 2 AM, I was not feeling tired at all and entertained the idea of driving all the way to York without stopping. I did decide to drop by Lolly and Jim's to leave them a note on the kitchen table to let them know I had driven through otherwise I knew they would be very worried when they saw my bed unslept in. However, when I opened up the door to their garage which had been left unlocked for me, Lolly heard the beep of the alarm and came downstairs, God Bless her, at that time of night! She was knot pleased when she heard my plans and convinced me to get some sleep and start out the next morning as the storm was not scheduled to hit that area until late in the morning. I would have been right in the middle if that storm if I hadn't left early from Perry's!

I got up at 6:30. visited with Jim and Lolly and left around 7:30 AM. The local roads were a mess and it took me some time to get to the beltway around Washington.  Once one it, I had an easy trip north.  I decided to follow I-95 through Rhode Island as I wanted to visit Roger's family and the newly born Dylan Conner Blanchard! I arrived there about 4PM and spend a most wonderful time there and fot to hold my second grand-son! :-) I arrived in York around 6:15 PM and was warmly welcomed by Sudie.

I need to get some lunch before I run off to an appointment, so I will continue my venture when I get back.