odyssey final word

I knew there was more to the Odyssey and I came across the notes today so here the rest of the story.

WEDNESDAY CWS, CHILDREN'S MUSEUM AND FAITH'S BALLGAME.

Shirley and I drop Bob and David off on an off-ramp near Rosenblatt stadium for one more baseball game. (D do not recommend this practice of stopping on off-ramps) We continue on with Skyler and Shae to the museum where we meet Debbie, Derek and Dillon. The first thing I notice about the museum is the noise, lots of noise and it is happy noise of chldren having fun.

We start with the Bob the Builder exhibit with lifesize Bob the Builder machines, tools buildings and a garden. The kids scatter and the three adults try to keep at least on in sight at all times. The kids try out as many of the activities as possible and then ask to go to the main floor. I have never seen anything like the main room. There are tubes and chutes and things I have no word to describe. Then there are the balls the hundreds of balls of various bright colors that are being moved around this construction. Well you have to see it to understand. Shirley said to me, "What sick mind dreamed this up?" I noticed, however she became as intrigued as Skyler playing with the levers and wheels.

After that Shae found the store and shopping basket and went shopping for the play groceries. She filled a basket and said we had to have all of this stuff for a party. While Shae shopped, Skyler tried his hand at engineering with tubes and connectors in a water table. Shae also tried milking the cow.

While we were in the gift shop looking for a suitable souvenir, Bob called and said the gme was over and we could pick them up. (not on the freeway). Back at the Nebel house we re-group, add Adam to the crowd and set out for Lyons. Cassie and Alex follow in their car.

We were on our way to Lyons to see Faith play and Scott coach a softball game. We set out believing we had time to get there and have dinner at the Highway Cafe. Enroute we are contacted by cell phone that the game is at six not 8:00 as we had planned. Since we are more than halfway there we continue on our way. Janell's pick-up is outside the cafe when we arrive. David goes in to alert them to the change in game time. We arrive at about the fourth inning and watch the rest of the game. There are now about fifteen hungry family members gathered at the Lyons park. It is about 8:15pm the cafe closes at 9:00pm. We knew they would serve us if we made it by 8:30pm. Into the vans, pick-ups and cars and five minutes later we have taken over the large dining room.

Side story: Only once in about the last fifteen years, have I entered the Highway Cafe without seeing Cheryl (Bacon) Hoffman and sure enough there she is with her husband. We talk for a few minutes.

All of the employees know us as the Gatewood kids or Rachel's kids, since Mother worked as cook for a number of years. Orders are taken, we eat and we are gone by 9:15 much to the relief of the cook, waitress and Marilyn, the owner. She has health problems and sits in a booth with her oxygen tank next to her. This place is part of our history, a big part.

On the drive back to Omaha through the rural landscape we are treated to a light show from the fireflies aka lightening bugs. The side of the road is filled with flashing lights, very small but very visible even at 60mph. Looking out across the fields it appears that blinking Christmas lights have been spread out on the plants.

THURSDAY, FRIDAY AND SATURDAY
Thursday morning we load the van, carjole two tired, homesick children into their carseats as the temperature climbs to 85 degrees. By nine we wave goodbye to Shirley, Bob, Adam and Milo the cat. Maybe Husker Hound is open. says David. We drive to the Husker Hound (where they sell everything red and Nebraska branded). It doesn't open until 10. We drive t Lincoln and find the university bookstore, which is open. We spend an hour and almost $100 and everyone seems happy. Finally we are on the road west. The day progresses through good times and tears, and lunch, and ice-cream. We stop in Cheyenne and there is swimming, dinner, reading and sleep. We are all ready to be home. Day two we roll along I 80, everyone ready to be home. We stop, I read to the kids they play their kazoos, and then I drivee f rom Rawlins, Wyoming to Elko, Nevada while David and the kids watch videos. In Elko we stop at the Shilo Inn and after swimming and dinner we sleep. Saturday morning, David is awake early anda so are the rest of us. After we eat breakfast, David takes the wheel and we arrive in Reno about noon. The odyssey is complete.

I drove home from Reno, alone for the first time in three weeks. It was strange. Would I do it again? YES!

Now I fell finished with the writing of the odyssey.

Traveling

Friday the thirteenth. No real comment, I had not even noticed until I started checking in on everyone.

I'm going on a four-day trip to Yosemite this weekend on a tour with the Green Tortoise You can check it out at www.greentortoise.com. Report next week.

Have a great weekend where ever you are.

07/07/07

Today is suppose to be the luckiest day of the century. After hearing that and the many "news" stories about luckiest this and luckiest that; I wondered if someone has to be unlucky if I'm lucky today? Or does that only apply to gambling?

Janell, I changed the name by accident. I tried to set up another blog and my name got changed. I finally figured out how to change it back.

I have several more pages in draft form for the odyssey web page and hope to put up the whole thing by Monday.

July 4th

It's going to be hot here in Sacramento--triple digits. And for several days after that.

I have several bags of stuff to donate. I have been sorting and downsizing my collections. I need to take some books to the used book store and see if I can get some money for them. I used to get credit to buy more books but that doesn't free up time and space in my life... So I am trying to read the books I have and not buy any new or used ones this year. If I really want to read something I don't have I will go to the library.

I have been saving things and accumulating things that attracted my attention over the years. I now find these things are taking too much of my space, time and energy. It was easy to accumulate and is so difficult to let go of, throw away, give away, or take to the consignment shops. Any suggestions???

June 29

June is over after tomorrow, Solstice has passed and the days are getting shorter already. And SUMMER will really hit Sacramento this weekend 106 predicted for the weekend.

Fortunately I have lots of inside things to do and central air; if I choose to use it. I checked to see if it works--it does. So far my apartment has stayed very cool by closing the blinds about noon. You know, that old fashioned, before air conditioning way of keeping cool.

I sorted another box of photographs. This project is in it's sixth year and I only have one more box of old photos to put into album pages. Maybe by August 15.

My other pending project is David's T-shirt quilt. I sewed some of the pieces together this week. I have my sewing machine set up until I go back to work. I can eat on my balcony since I bought a little table and chairs set.

Vacation recovery

Here it is the fifth day since I returned from the Odyssey and my list of things to do is getting longer rather than shorter. I arrived home on Saturday evening about 4pm and went to the Monarchs Basketball game at 7P. They beat Detroit Shock, last night they beat the New York Liberty.

I have finished unpacking and most of the clothes are clean and back in drawers and closets. I have resumed my daily walk. I watched one of two movies from Netflix. The Children of Men. The book is better. The reason my list of things to do is not getting shorter is I found a very old Bob Hope, Lucille Ball movie on TV in the afternoon. Facts Of Life and after the game last night The Sentinel was on. Yes, I like all kinds of movies. I'm planning to give myself a theater movie this afternoon-If I get a few things checked off my list.

Monday I took three dance lessons, probably too many but need to use some or lose them on Saturday. I have a monthly membership at the dance studio. Eight group lessons a month, one private, and two Friday dances.

So much to do so little time.