Busy weekend
My father, his significant other (or as he calls her, his old lady) Benny and their dog Spot paid us a visit over the weekend -- they drove out from the Bay Area on their way back and forth across the country, making various stops on the way to visit with friends and family.
They dropped in on Friday afternoon and took off this morning for parts North -- they'll then reverse direction in a few days and head back down the Atlantic coast before traveling back out West again. They need to get back to Oakland in less than three weeks for a show that Benny is participating in (she's an artist), so time is short.
I've only been in touch with Ron for a few years now, but I've visited with Benny and him each time I make it out to San Francisco for Macworld Expo, sometimes for a meal or two at a nice restaurant, once for a weekend at their house, and it's always been nice and casual, if a bit too short. But this is the first time that they've had a chance to meet my kids, which they've wanted to do as soon as he found out that I was out there and looking for him.
My three kids had a fun time meeting with and interacting with Grandpa Ron -- they went to the pool at the place Ron and Benny stayed at a couple of times, went out for dinner and lunch, and went mini-golfing, so it was quite a complete Cape Cod summertime experience, minus the beach.
Because Ron and Benny are driving, we weren't sure exactly when we were going to see them or for how long they were going to stay, so when I got a call on Friday morning announcing that they'd be here that afternoon, I let the kids know and we prepared accordingly.
Ironically, Bob and Emme had already decided that they wanted to go to the grand opening of Apple's newest area retail store in Braintree, Mass., so the following morning we trekked up to Braintree to visit the store. It was the first time Emme, James and Bonnie had been in an Apple retail store, so it was quite a treat for them. Getting back was hellish, however -- traffic was backed up for four or five miles along Route 3 before the Sagamore bridge, which goes over the Cape Cod canal, so we took time getting back and used back roads and alternate routes to do it. Unfortunate timing, given the circumstances.
Anyway, things are getting back to normal now as the kids are getting back into their routines of harassing each other and making messes all over the house. Bob managed to convince Bonnie to help him wash the cat (who was probably overdue for a cleansing). Max is now sitting in a sodden, humiliated-looking heap on the floor trying to groom himself.