Trip to the Adirondacks 2011
Adult children that live far away are easy to reach these days of Internet and cell phones. I talk more easily to my past family members than when they were living in the same abode. There seems to be less push to avoid conversation, however, if there is no interest in contact, there simply is none.
With Annalisa planning a short stay in Eagle Bay, I needed to plan my stay within hers, and made it happen. Not easy traveling when you are older, wider, and drag a cane around, why is the plane always at the farthest gate????? and the people who need to be at a gate in such a hurry that they nearly knock you over getting there? I had to practically disrobe each time I go through the metal detectors. I guess I am the scariest one in the airport....with a replacement knee and a natural wood cane. They pat me down, I guess they see me coming. I already wear clogs, so I don't have to tie or untie those shoes. I bring no liquids or bottles of any sort. I leave all knitting needles or scissors at home. I take barely nothing with me in my case or suitcase. Yet I am targeted as the most dangerous looking person in line. I do not get it.
So finally I get to the gate. Gate 59 C or whatever is the highest, to find out, we walk out the door this time, and actually climb steps. HIGH ones, No one helps, so that I have a purse, a cane and both hands on railings, pulling myself up 8 overly high steps. This is after I already walked for a mile and a half.... The seat was unacceptable, and the stewardess saw it. She moved me immediately, and helped me get comfortable without anyone next to me. At least the flight was short.
I think I must have had about 20 calls from Weslee and Jim that morning. It was hard to do anything with my cell phone ringing so much. Finally I told Weslee I could either drive up to Eagle Bay, or sit in the parking lot, and talk to him. He did stop calling to ask me where I was. I arrived in Eagle Bay about 4 pm because I got a rental car at the Syracuse airport, drove to the Wal-mart in Utica, bought a few important items, like raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, some hardware for the cabin, hydrocordisone for bug bites, plus a few other items. Wes started in on the berries, and exclaimed, "I am a black bear, I love to eat bear-ies!"
The floor looked great! They had spent the day before installing a floor in the great room, that we had planned for the last 3 years, but never had the time or money. Now we just made it happen. We had professional help, but Jim, Annalisa, and Weslee were the hired help. We went to the Strand in Old Forge to see "Pirates of the Caribbean", and saw Omi's grave, with the grave of my grandmother and grandfather in the Riverside Cemetery.
It did rain a lot, but Annalisa kept talking about how much she loved it, since it did not rain in California. We went up to Moss Lake, walked there and saw two osprey on the dead tree on the island in the middle of the lake, and the tadpoles, a turtle, and a crayfish.
We had a meal at the old Big Moose Station, and I had coffee at the Big Moose Hotel while Jim tried out the boat on Big Moose Lake, since he had the motor repaired at Dunn's. One night he went fishing with Weslee. They caught a mess of perch, which we ate for supper one night. Jim has a dynamite recipe, fried in saltines, which is delicious.
I was so happy to get a chance to visit with my friends. What luck to see both the Gilstraps and Betsy that weekend, when I was there! I got a nice long visit with them both, but too bad I did not see Brenda or her family. I did see a lot of school buses, so I am sure school is still in session for most of the children in New York.
On one of our walks we were excited to see a lady slipper- usually we're up later and did not see them bloom. When we got to the beach, it was really cold. The day I wanted to swim was about 58 degrees. Jim decided to take Weslee tubing, and to go water skiing. They did not stay in the water long. Afterwards, Weslee, Annalisa, and I went swimming. It was cold, but we had a wonderful time. Weslee did somersaults in the water. It felt so good on my knees. Walking in cold water just is the finest thing I can think of doing!
The stay lasted only a few days, and I was off to the airport again. I was hyperventilating again. I set off the alarm and was chosen to be patted down, shoes removed, etc. while Annalisa waited for me. The young blond that inspected me head to foot was very patient and explained the entire process, afterwards taking off the rubber gloves, and wiping her hands with some swab of chemical, putting it under a sensor, and checking thoroughly if it had been in the presence of some "contraband" substance. I passed, but it was still the usual annoyance. It was interesting watching another inspector going through a golfer's bag. She took things out, went through everything, wanded them, looked inside the pockets, the jars of whatever golfers use, and then put it all back, except for one shoe. One giant shoe. She closed the case, and then I thought that golfer would be quite anxious trying to play without the second shoe, but in the last moment she spied that second shoe on the table, opened the case, and looking everywhere, tried to get it back with a problem. It would not fit. It was one of those puzzles, that has to be put into place perfectly, and she did not have the key. She spent quite some time turning the shoe this way and that, stuffing and cramming until, she finally got her card,"Your gear has been inspected by number ##### " and the wayward shoe back and clasped the case shut. She was sweating and had certainly earned her pay. Found nothing, but earned her pay.
The flight home was short, it is only a little over an hour flight from Syracuse to Cincinnati, and the walk to the street, where Liz was going to pick me up took about a half an hour. She started the drive from work, Hughes High School about a half an hour from when I landed, so we arrived about the same time at the curb. For the first time in three trips, I did NOT leave anything in my rental car. I use Enterprise for rentals, because they are curteous and reasonable, and twice now they have returned valuables to me when I left them in the car. As I rode off, I realized I had left my large book and puzzle book in the jet, which was by now on its way to Minneapolis. My travels seem to be jinxed by leaving something behind, no matter what I do!
With Annalisa planning a short stay in Eagle Bay, I needed to plan my stay within hers, and made it happen. Not easy traveling when you are older, wider, and drag a cane around, why is the plane always at the farthest gate????? and the people who need to be at a gate in such a hurry that they nearly knock you over getting there? I had to practically disrobe each time I go through the metal detectors. I guess I am the scariest one in the airport....with a replacement knee and a natural wood cane. They pat me down, I guess they see me coming. I already wear clogs, so I don't have to tie or untie those shoes. I bring no liquids or bottles of any sort. I leave all knitting needles or scissors at home. I take barely nothing with me in my case or suitcase. Yet I am targeted as the most dangerous looking person in line. I do not get it.
So finally I get to the gate. Gate 59 C or whatever is the highest, to find out, we walk out the door this time, and actually climb steps. HIGH ones, No one helps, so that I have a purse, a cane and both hands on railings, pulling myself up 8 overly high steps. This is after I already walked for a mile and a half.... The seat was unacceptable, and the stewardess saw it. She moved me immediately, and helped me get comfortable without anyone next to me. At least the flight was short.
I think I must have had about 20 calls from Weslee and Jim that morning. It was hard to do anything with my cell phone ringing so much. Finally I told Weslee I could either drive up to Eagle Bay, or sit in the parking lot, and talk to him. He did stop calling to ask me where I was. I arrived in Eagle Bay about 4 pm because I got a rental car at the Syracuse airport, drove to the Wal-mart in Utica, bought a few important items, like raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, some hardware for the cabin, hydrocordisone for bug bites, plus a few other items. Wes started in on the berries, and exclaimed, "I am a black bear, I love to eat bear-ies!"
The floor looked great! They had spent the day before installing a floor in the great room, that we had planned for the last 3 years, but never had the time or money. Now we just made it happen. We had professional help, but Jim, Annalisa, and Weslee were the hired help. We went to the Strand in Old Forge to see "Pirates of the Caribbean", and saw Omi's grave, with the grave of my grandmother and grandfather in the Riverside Cemetery.
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| Reinhart and Maria von Oettingen |
It did rain a lot, but Annalisa kept talking about how much she loved it, since it did not rain in California. We went up to Moss Lake, walked there and saw two osprey on the dead tree on the island in the middle of the lake, and the tadpoles, a turtle, and a crayfish.
We had a meal at the old Big Moose Station, and I had coffee at the Big Moose Hotel while Jim tried out the boat on Big Moose Lake, since he had the motor repaired at Dunn's. One night he went fishing with Weslee. They caught a mess of perch, which we ate for supper one night. Jim has a dynamite recipe, fried in saltines, which is delicious.
I was so happy to get a chance to visit with my friends. What luck to see both the Gilstraps and Betsy that weekend, when I was there! I got a nice long visit with them both, but too bad I did not see Brenda or her family. I did see a lot of school buses, so I am sure school is still in session for most of the children in New York.
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| lady slipper |
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| they moved so fast they are a blur |
Weslee and I had a fun time playing some games, he and Jim played ping-pong almost every day, and Annalisa walked everyday. We so enjoyed our visit into the Adirondacks.
The flight home was short, it is only a little over an hour flight from Syracuse to Cincinnati, and the walk to the street, where Liz was going to pick me up took about a half an hour. She started the drive from work, Hughes High School about a half an hour from when I landed, so we arrived about the same time at the curb. For the first time in three trips, I did NOT leave anything in my rental car. I use Enterprise for rentals, because they are curteous and reasonable, and twice now they have returned valuables to me when I left them in the car. As I rode off, I realized I had left my large book and puzzle book in the jet, which was by now on its way to Minneapolis. My travels seem to be jinxed by leaving something behind, no matter what I do!
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