We had a great time going up to Kansas after Danny & Joanna’s lovely and quite memorable wedding. The drive up went well, and Kayleigh was very excited when we got off of 59 and starting driving on the back roads (this is about an hour before actually reaching the farm) and kept saying, “We’re nearly there! I recognize this, we’re nearly to the farm!”
By the end of the trip, we had settled into a nice routine where about mid-afternoon, a movie (rented from the library) would go on for the children, and the adults would retire the library to play lovely music together. I found a piece by Giovanni Picchi written in the 1600s for two soprano instruments and continuo, so Mom played her alto recorder, Daddy on the tenor (or possibly the other way around, I’m not sure), and I played the bass part of the continuo. It’s pretty involved but sounds quite neat, so we’re going to keep working on that.
Once our music was over, the adults would get a cocktail and Jonathan some lemonade or apple juice, and we’d have 30-45 minutes of Texas Hold-Em in the library together. Then dinner for the kids and getting them off to bed. Mom as always fixed delicious meals that we ate in the library in the evenings by candlelight (fresh potatoes from the garden, four kinds of fresh lettuce, fresh peas—yum!).
The last four nights I was there, the three of us played poker ($5 buy-in) after the dinner dishes were cleaned up. I particularly enjoyed that since I won three of those nights. One of them saw me win with three of a kind of threes—and my third three came on the river of the very last hand! That was very rewarding.
Jonathan, Daddy, and I went to see the Bodies Revealed exhibit in Kansas City. I thought it was absolutely fascinating—so did Jonathan.
We made a few trips to the H.M.S. Beagle, a great science store in Parkville, Missouri, that my parents have discovered. Jonathan had his first experience doing experiments with a chemistry set, thanks to his grandpa, and we got to do some neat things. Thanks to Mom for keeping Kayleigh occupied so that there was less chance of our getting distracted and blowing up the granary.
The most drama came when I had a blowout with my front right tire on I-35 just past Tonkawa, Oklahoma. It was a little scary, but luckily someone stopped to help me change the tire and told me that if I drove into Tonkawa I ought to be able to find a tire store. He was right too, although I had my doubts for a while. It did mean that instead of driving from 9:45 a.m. until about 6 p.m., I didn’t get to Rita’s in Fort Worth until 8:15 p.m. I was so happy to see my auntie!
The trip went by so fast I feel I already ought to be making plans to go again soon . . . it must mean we had a great time, which we did.
Posted by elizabeth at July 2, 2008 05:21 PMIt was a lovely time complete with many memories - Jonathan and Kayleigh are so interesting and great fun to be with. I am constantly surprised at some of the funny things they think and say.
Posted by: Cynthia on July 4, 2008 10:37 AM