Friday, April 5, 2013
This weekend I joined Dad, Roy and Lily on a quick road trip to Elizabethton to see Grandmother Ginny. Terry dropped me off at Roy and Leah’s around 9:45am so we could be on the road by 10am. Our plan was to meet Dad at the McDonalds at the 109 exit. While waiting for Dad to arrive, I took Lily inside for a quick potty break and then Roy and I grabbed an early lunch, Roy had a cheeseburger while I picked up a chicken wrap, fries and a Coke.
Finally on the road, Lily and I played with Twinkle, her stuffed white kitty that she informed me was her real cat Appie’s sister and Princess Celestia, her brand new My Little Pony she had saved her money for and purchased. We had to “pretember”, that’s pretending and remembering at the same time, that Twinkle was sad and Celestia was going to make her happy by teaching her to fly.
Grandmother Ginny called while we were heading down the road to find out where we were and to let us know that while she was getting her hair set at Colonial Heights she noticed her car was leaking fluid. So to determine what was wrong, she drove to the nearest Auto Zone. A little later she called back to tell us that a hose had blown and was leaking coolant and that they replaced it for her.
We stopped briefly outside of Knoxville for gas and another bathroom break. Lily saw a horse trailer with two horses and she whinnied at them and was disappointed when they did not answer in return.
Grandmother Ginny was cooking dinner when we arrived and had brownies baking in the oven which made the house smell delicious. We came in with hugs all around and she showed us all the new landscaping that had recently been completed. The biggest changes were the removal of the two giant boxwoods in front of the house and the big holly next to the back of the garage were removed. As we were standing in the front yard admiring the spring flowers, Grandmother’s neighbors, Collins and Jennifer and their 11 year old twin girls, Camille and Audrey came over to say hello. The girls were so sweet to Lily and they all happily played together before dinner.
Back in the kitchen, Dad finished the mashed potatoes by dicing, boiling and then mashing, Roy filled the glasses with ice, Grandmother Ginny and Dad both worked on the gravy to go with the crock pot roast beef, green beans, sliced tomatoes, baked bread and cinnamon apples.
After Lily said the prayer we dug into our delicious meal with Phyllis joining us soon afterwards, four generations around the table. Dinner was great and after quickly clearing the table we headed to the covered bridge with some stale bread so Lily could feed the ducks and geese. We also walked through the covered bridge, snapped a few photos and then back to our cars. Grandmother Ginny rode with Roy, Lily and me in Roy’s truck while Dad drove Phyllis in her sports car. While Dad and Phyllis ran to the grocery to buy more bread and Cokes, we took Lily to see the “big hill” then drove by the river near the Bemberg plant (which they are planning to demolish) and then by Grandmother’s old house on Pine Hill Road. The current owners are not very good care takers of Grandmother’s beautiful home. Plywood covered a window which used to be the laundry room and Grandaddy’s work room, they erected a hideous chain link fence around the back yard along the rock wall, closed in the screened in porch and added a driveway, which was desperately needed, but because they didn’t landscape afterwards it was a muddy, scraggly mess.
Phyllis and Dad were already back at the ranch when we returned and had cleaned the kitchen and loaded the dishwasher. As we finished up the last of the pots and pans, Lily grabbed a stool and helped me wash the rest of the dishes in the sink while Dad, Grandmother and Phyllis reminisced about all the places they had lived, historical sites they had visited and new foods they were introduced to while they followed Granddaddy Roy from army base to army base.
As we all sat around the kitchen table, Lily asked if we wanted popcorn and of course we answered with a resounding “yes”. Roy put a bag of Orville in the microwave and we all snacked on that as Dad and Phyllis regaled us with stories from their childhood. When they were teenagers, they were both camp counselors at a Jewish summer camp. They said the kids were spoiled and abandoned by their parents for the summer so they were absolutely horrible. Phyllis told us that Dad and his friend David were all about pranks and “torturing” the campers. One prank involved Dad and David stealing panties from the girls cabins, stringing them up the flag pole and then greasing the pole so no one could get them down. To create an iron clad alibi, they asked one of the counselors if they could borrow his big, black convertible and drove into town so they were conveniently absent when the prank was discovered. Dad said while they were cruising around, the car broke down. Karma perhaps? Anyway, pulling into a service station, the attendant said he couldn’t fix the problem. Dad looked under the hood, and pulling a MacGyver, said if the guy had some copper tubing and a coupling he could fix it and sure enough he did.
Another classic prank was the the disruption of the camp’s summer production of “South Pacific”. Loading a canoe full of fireworks and using a lighted cigarette as a slow fuse, they set the boat adrift and then flanked the show’s director, sitting on either side of him, and gleefully watched as the fireworks exploded. Again, the perfect alibi.
Phyllis also shared how Dad would hypnotize his friends. He convinced their friend Virgil that he was a board. Once hypnotized they laid him between two chairs and then sat on him. Dad also convinced Virgil that he was a canary and he chirped and chirped.
While we reminisced and laughed, Lily sat in Grandmother Ginny’s lap and played a game on the iPad called Temple Runner. While Lily played, Roy prompted her to serenade us with the following songs: “I am the Walrus”, “Yellow Submarine”, “Radio Gaga”, “Brand New Roller Skates”, and “We Will Rock You”.
Click the link below for a blast from the past. Doesn’t this just make you want to tap your toes?
Brand New Key “Brand New Key” by Melanie Safka.
After a day of driving and visiting we were all tired and hit the hay around 10:30pm. Lily slept with Grandmother Ginny, Roy took the couch, I slept in the office while Dad slept in the yellow bedroom.
Saturday, April 6, 2013
Another beautiful day in Elizabethton. Early this morning Lily woke up in Grandmother’s bed so sad, missing her home and Leah. To lift her spirits Grandmother made her a cup of hot chocolate, raisin bread toast and then when Lily was calm and happy, she snuggled on the couch with Roy. When I awoke, Dad and Grandmother Ginny were already in the kitchen visiting. Roy joined us soon afterward as did Lily. By consensus we decided that biscuits from Hardee’s was better than cooking and cleaning up the kitchen. So Dad and Roy trekked off to slay breakfast.
Upon their return we all sat around the kitchen table with our perspective coffees, hot tea and Cokes and read the Elizabethton Star and worked the crossword puzzle.
Dad, Roy and Lily headed to Dennis Cove this morning. This will be Lily’s first time hiking the Appalachian Trail. We have had lots of rain recently so the falls should be rolling fast and loud. I hung out with Grandmother and we just talked, visited and she shared some memories from her childhood. Grandmother reflected on what it was like to live during the Depression. Having lost their family business and their home in Biltmore, she shared how she, Grandmother Carrie, Mary Etta and Patsy traveled to Florida and lived with Carrie’s brother, Uncle Ed in Coral Gables while her father struggled to get back on his feet. It was also a needed respite for Grandmother Carrie who had been donating blood once a week to Mama Taylor who suffered with pernicious anemia.
After a quick drive through Sammons, Roy, Lily and Dad returned from their hiking adventure with hot dogs and fries for everyone.
After we cleaned up the kitchen we decided to drive up to the Watauga Overlook. The lake was beautiful. We took a short hike to look at the dam and spillover then drove back down the mountain to home. Lily was excited to see cows, sheep and donkey’s along the way. Grandmother told us that Pat Goddard’s previous home on the river had burned to the ground. She also showed us the mill that was still standing where Papa Taylor worked when he and Mama Taylor moved to Carter County from Virginia in the 1890’s.
We arrived back at Grandmother’s around 4pm and were kind at a loss for what to do. Lily ran next door to play with Camille and Audrey while the grown ups were in flux. Finally, we moseyed into the living room and turned on the basketball Final Four playoffs. None of us really cared about the game but it was something to do. Roy convinced Grandmother to go stretch out in her recliner in her room and grab a nap. The rest of us stretched out on the couches. Roy watched the game while Dad and I read. When Grandmother awoke from her nap, she called Phyllis and asked her to come watch the game with us.
Finally, around 7pm Lily chimed up and said she was hungry. After much discussion we decided to order a large pizza from Greg’s, half pepperoni and half double cheese. Roy placed the order then he and Phyllis when to pick it up. We also munched on the leftover roast beef and mashed potatoes from last night. Grandmother and I sat in the kitchen with Lily while the rest of the gang retired to the living room to watch the rest of the game.
After dinner we once again all piled into the living room and talked about the best and worst movies as well as the best and worst actors and actresses. We laughed and challenged each other’s choices. It was a hoot. Around 10:30pm Phyllis finally gave up the fight. She still had lessons to prepare for her Sunday school class tomorrow so she needed to get home. It’s always so much fun being with Phyllis and I sure do miss her when we’re apart.
We were all tired and this was the latest Lily had been up in her four short years so we all got ready for bed. Lily decided she wanted to sleep with me tonight, so Roy got her ready for bed, I picked out three books from the attic playroom and we settled in for the evening. Lily snuggled right next to me with her head resting on my shoulder with Mr. Bun, Twinkle, and her new Princess Celestia unicorn as we read “The Fuzzy Peach”, “Goldilocks & The Three Little Bears” and “The Book of Me” which was a birthday gift to DJ for his 4th birthday. Once I turned off the bedside lamp she said it was too dark so I cracked opened the bedroom door and turned on the bathroom light. Lily was asleep in no time. I learned that Lily talks in her sleep and grinds her teeth which is surprisingly loud.
Sunday, April 7, 2013
Up early this morning, 7am eastern, 6am central. It was a fitful sleep as I was concerned with waking up Lily and also concerned that she would wake up frightened like the night before.
Grandmother had already gotten her shower and was getting ready for church when I came down to a darkened kitchen. I thought everyone was up but I was wrong. I sat at the kitchen table and read the Milligan newsletter when Dad sauntered in thinking everyone was up as well. I said it was only me and then Roy sashayed in and said the same thing.
Grandmother joined us dressed and ready for the day and put on a pot of coffee. She also said she had a hankering for some orange sweet rolls for breakfast so we got the rolls on a tray with the oven preheating and I headed upstairs to shower and get ready. Lily was still snoozing stretched out across the bed. When I came downstairs Lily was up and about, Dad was cooking bacon, eggs were ready to be scrambled, apples were heating up on the stove and toast was ready to pop into the oven. Breakfast was great and it was wonderful to be together.
After cleaning up the kitchen we finished packing, stripped the beds and loaded Roy’s truck. We got on the road a little before 10am which gave Grandmother time to get to her Sunday school class.
As soon as we got on the interstate, I popped the movie, “Planet 51″in the DVD player and she and I watched that in the back seat sharing a set of earplugs.
We made one stop near Crossville for gas, to stretch our legs, get a snack, and to go to the bathroom. I picked up a bottle of water, Lily wanted Cheetos while Dad bought Chili Fritos and a Reese’s cup.
Finally made it to the 109 Exit and said farewell to Dad. Both Janice and Jill were recovering from being sick all weekend and Dad said he was just going to kick back and relax the rest of the afternoon. We arrived at Roy’s around 3pm and Terry picked me up soon afterward. I was happy but worn out from our trip and was longing to see Jasper and to stretch out on the couch and take a nap.
Thanks to Dad for letting me borrow some of his photos for the post.
