Going to the dogs in Kansas City

Isabella and the lap whore

Isabella is the daughter of my oldest nephew, Cory. Isabella, like many children these days, splits her time between her mother's house and her dad's. Happily for me Isabella was with her dad during my visit. My first night in Kansas City, I picked Isabella up from a play date at one of her classmate's house. Cory had a business dinner. Cory's brother, Coby, lives in Kansas City too. I had already hooked up with him earlier in the day and he had errands to run so he was not with us. Cory's partner, Suzanne, was at a social function, so Isabella and I had the evening together.

I had already been impressed with the twin's verbal skills. I had seen Isabella only a few months before at a family reunion in Alabama so had a more recent sense of her. Even so, I was similarly impressed with what a wise child is my nine-year old niece. We had a very engaging conversation about her school, her friends, and her very thorough view of the world. When Suzanne got home Isabella had her bath and fell asleep watching TV in her room. Turns out, I was lucky to have had the opportunity to visit one-on-one; because Suzanne announced - to Isabella's delight and my less-than-optimistic anticipation - that tomorrow they were getting a new dog. A four-month old daschund puppy who may or may not be house broken. I went to bed hoping for the best but expecting to be on guard for accidents the rest of the visit.

Isabella rampant on the field

Well, the new dog is adorable and house broken. It took him about fifteen minutes to move in. I nicknamed him lap whore because he automatically goes for the nearest seated person and hops right up. He adores Isabella, and she adores him. He adores Suzanne and Suzanne is most adoring and caring. He adores Cory. He adores Coby. Actually, I did not see him not adore anybody he came in contact with.

I took advantage of my time in Kansas City to have the oil changed in the car, and attempt to find the source of a mildly annoying high-pitched whir that manifests at highway speeds, some times but not consistently, and only when I am alone i the car. Of course with such a precise description and a test drive demonstration with the mechanic, of the fact that it only happens when I am alone in the car it was a snap to fix. If there had been anything fixable, but there wasn't, except the battery was gone.

As we were walking into the office to do paperwork, another Sebring pulled up and I heard the whir. I grabbed the mechanic and took him to hear it.

"It's the alternator," he said. "Perfectly normal in your car. Although the battery being so weak, it could be working the alternator harder." Made sense to me, and besides, I hadn't heard it since I got into KC.

Coby and I went off to meet Suzanne at their local Cheers. I picked up the car with a new battery a few hours later. Case closed.

The rest of the weekend visit was a pleasant montage of soccer games, museum outings, and hanging out with Isabella, the lap whore, my nephews, and their friends. On Sunday morning I said my good-byes and headed for Highlands, NC. The drive on route 64 was East Coast scenic. Long stretches of Cherokee National Forest on the verge of erupting in fall color along curvy roads that hugged the river. It was another beautiful day with a clear sky and the silence of open country. Except for a mildly annoying high-pitched whir that manifests at highway speeds, some times but not consistently, and only when I am alone i the car.

Family ties

From Sterling, Colorado to Lincoln Nebraska is about a six-hour drive but it was a major shift in the focus of the trip. The landscape had already started to change before I got to Sterling. The Colorado mountains had flattened out to the Great Plains coming out of Denver. Except for stretches of economic recovery paid for road work, which I had gotten used to on previous legs of the trip, the drive was uneventful. The day was the clear, the sky cloud-puffed, and the corn fields boundless. I was traveling through an immense plein air landscape. I arrived in Lincoln mid-afternoon. I had arranged to meet my niece, her husband, and their twin daughters at the pre-school where the girls are enrolled. I had some free time so I had lunch at a Mexican restaurant I passed coming into town.

On this trip, Mexican food was my default choice in a strange town. True, the quality varies, and if you eat all the rice and beans and a basket of chips with salsa, the calorie count is through the roof. For me, half portions (or just eating half) left me satisfied and feeling like there was still some connection to real food. Plus, I really like Mexican food, and on this trip I had many first-rate meals. El Rancho Autentico turned out to be a very good choice. The chili relleno was excellent, and the TG server provided an unexpected twist to the ambience.

Erin gets her face painted

At the day care center I waited outside for my niece, people watching the flow of young parents and toddlers. When Connor and Rod arrived, we wove through the flow, up to the twins' second floor classroom. 

I hadn't seen the twins in over a year. My time with them has been limited to annual visits either at family get togethers or on short visits. From the first time I saw them, I was entranced, of course. I mean they are exceptional in every way, not to mention beautiful. Yes, all children are exceptional and beautiful, but my three grandnieces (the third appears later) come from my gene pool and are still exceptional and beautiful. I think that is nothing short of miraculous.

Kelsey learning to swim

Any way, I wasn't sure what to expect when I saw them. Kelsey saw me and retreated between her father's legs to hide. Erin, ran to me and threw herself at me. I scooped her up into my arms and she immediately began talking to me like we were best friends and had known each other forever. I was a goner. By the time we got back to the house, Kelsey had decided that I was also BFF and the rest of the short visit a breeze. 

My family is a not atypical. My parents, both of whom are deceased, had two boys. I married, divorced, and did not have children. My brother and his second wife (and high school sweetheart) live in San Antonio. He has three children: two boys and a girl. Cory has a daughter, Isabella, from his first marriage. Coby is single, and Connor has the twins Kelsey and Erin. Cory and Coby live in Kansas City, Connor and Rod live in Lincoln. None of us lives in the place where we were born. We are scattered across several States. We get together as a family rarely. So for me to be shored with unconditional love from these magnificent beings is a real gift and wonderment. Home may be where, when you go there, they have to take you in; but family offers us the opportunity to experience unconditional love. Even if it takes several tries.

After pre-school parties, swimming lessons, art projects, and just plain fooling around, I headed off once again - this time to Kansas City to see my two nephews and my grandniece, Isabella. More about that later. For more pictures of all three of my exceptional, beautiful grandnieces go to my Smugmug album.

Not with a bang, but a sniffle

A head cold descended upon me full bloom somewhere between Lincoln, NE and Highlands  NC via Kansas City. It was a polite cold. It didn't knock me out until I was safe in Highlands. When it hit, though, it hit full force. I am now back in Sarasota, after an indolent week in Highlands, and regaining my wits.

The traveling has stopped for now, but the trip continues. I have returned to a blank slate. I am living moment to moment (all thanks to the universe for such a long string of sterling moments). I have not had a home for almost 6 years. Coming back to this loveliest of settings, where I am most fortunate to live in the company of my dear cousin, I realize that this is not home. Maybe I will never have a home again this life, It's of no great matter because, as my travels have taught me, I can settle in almost anywhere. Caution to anyone who invites me to "make yourself at home."

I will blog about the rest of the trip which was very family-centric and enjoyable. I may also try and put in words some of the thoughts that came to me - and are still coming to me. For now, I felt the need to put something down. 'Til next we meet....

Stops on the trip

A. Osprey, FL
B. Highlands, NC
C. Alexander City, AL
D. Tupelo, MS
E. Jackson, MS
F. San Antonio, TX
G. Columbus, NM
H. Las Cruces, NM
I.  Albuquerque, NM
J. Santa Fe, NM
K. Farmington, NM
L. Sedona, AZ
M. Palm Springs, CA
N. Los Angeles, CA
O, San Francisco Bay Area
P. Telluride, CO
Q. Lincoln, NE
R. Kansas City, MO
S. Highlands, NC
And that brings us back to A!