A Harried Grandfather; A Mission to Escort his Granddaughter

Seattle to Merida; 19-22 July 2011 --

It all began with considerable anxiety, about the willingness of a six-year old girl who spoke only Spanish, to leave her familiar surroundings in Mexico and travel with that gray-haired Abuelito ("little Grandpa") whom she had remembered mostly from his visit two years ago and who spoke only English. But the trials and tribulations -- yes, and the joys, too! -- were greater than Grumpy could have anticipated.

The flight from Seattle to Merida, and our joint return flight from Merida back to Seattle, had been booked well in advance. Continental Airlines (in the process of merging with United) ticketing personnel even found side-by-side seating on the return flight! The U.S. Passport for Olivia, together with the Limited Parental Delegation of Authority and other legal papers, which might be required by Mexican or U.S. immigration personnel, were readily available.

Son Jim provided my early-morning transportation to SeaTac for the 6 am departure to Houston; how much I appreciate his help on this aspect cannot be put into words.

Arrival in Houston (for a seven hour wait) saw a rainy day (Seattle weather?). The long wait was made tolerable by making friends with a group of Baptists who were also going to Merida, on a mission similar to Habitat for Humanity. We were able to share some good, Christian fellowship, although one woman apparently questioned the status of my salvation; perhaps it was as a result of my identifying my background as a former Episcopalian!

The flight over the Caribbean saw the sun fade from early evening to the "darkest dark" that is typical of tropical sunsets. I captured this time exposure of the twilight glow in the Western sky (the reddish tinge on the flap "canoe" is from the red strobe light used to insure night-time visibility to other aircraft).

Abuela Maria met me at 9:30 pm, when the 737 airplane landed at the Merida airport, and Olivia welcomed me when we arrived later at El Casa de Maria.

Sleeping in a hammock is not as uncomfortable as some might think (including me, once). Actually, I found this night rather restful -- after about three hours of steady Spanish chatter from the little girl who slept in the hammock beside mine. She immediately found that her Abuelito did not comprehend much of anything she said (all very rapidly and with much animation!). I think she spent the next three or so hours trying to teach me the entire Spanish language!! [I enjoyed every minute -- until I couldn't keep my eyes open any longer.] Later when I awoke with the need to go to the bano, I discovered I had a little girl fast asleep laying across my body! I slid out from under her without waking her. Then when I came back to go to bed, I crawled [ -- what's the right word for getting into a hammock?] into what had earlier been her hammock.

After a full-day's stay, during which Olivia took Abuelito to the playground we had enjoyed on my previous visit two years ago as well as downtown Merida to an Internet Cafe where I hoped to transmit to my e-mail address the photos (taken on a Sony camera to be left for Adolfo's younger sister, Tania). Ultimately, because the laptop I borrowed for this purpose would not allow me to get on the Internet without the owner's password -- which was not recognized. So we went around the corner to a for-pay Internet access shop where the operator copied my photos onto a CD-ROM.

Thursday morning Maria took us to the airport at 4:30 am in time for check-in for the scheduled flight reservations for a 7:15 am departure. The tribulations began. I was advised by the Continental agent that we might be denied boarding because of Olivia's expired visa. My confidence remained that things would somehow work out and so, without revealing to Maria of any potential problems, we bid goodbye and Olivia and I proceeded upstairs to the concourse and the exit immigration check point.

My confidence was soon shattered and my concerns elevated when, as best I could comprehend, "there is no way that le Nina can leave Mexico ... ". An alert Continental boarding gate person came to my rescue and comforted Olivia who, already comprehending the gravity of the situation began to cry. This person also helped me to understand what needed to be done: wait until the bank (in the terminal building) opened at 9 am, have an immigration official calculate the penalty fee I would have to pay via the bank, and rebook with Continental for the next day. After much confusion, frustration and trudging from one place in the terminal building to another, the process with the immigration official was finally accomplished and we were rebooked for departure at the same time Friday morning.

Now a new problem arose. How to get back to Maria's! I did not have her telephone number nor her address, although I was confident I could find my way there. As it turned out (all I could remember of her address was "Colonia Sambula", a district within the metropolis of Merida), I did not correctly remember the branch of the main highway and steered the taxi driver into an area of dead-end streets and unfamiliar territory. However, Olivia calmly took over the instructions to the driver and very quickly had us redirected into the proper neighborhood and, before you know it, arrived right in front of El Casa de Maria! I tipped the driver handsomely (I hope!).

Again being awakened (this time by Maria!) at an ungodly hour to get to the airport to check in, and go through immigration for our 7:15 departure, we found the terminal doors closed and locked. [No need to have it open until nearer the time for check-in and ticketing for the earliest departure (ours!).] This time, though, things went more smoothly (although the immigration official on duty was momentarily confused by that special piece of paper that I presented to him in lieu of a visa that he normally saw). As we boarded our flight to Houston, we again saw the lady who had stepped in the day before to interpret to me what I needed to do, and to comfort Olivia. [No longer having a camera and forgetting the camera in my cellphone, I do not have a photo of her.] Coincidentally, this lady's mother was seated next to me on the flight to Houston! I hope she passes on to her daughter how much I appreciated her help in my hour(s) of concern the day before.

This time, instead of only a two-and-a-half hour layover in Houston, we had to wait from 9:30 am until 5:30 pm to board our final flight to Seattle. I bought two Stromboli for our mid-morning breakfast [Olivia ate some, but didn't like the taste -- neither did I!]. For a late lunch she had a Wendy burger and I had a salad. [Meals were for sale on the flight, but not even complementary peanuts or pretzels!]

Meanwhile, as we waited, Olivia "relaxed" to the entertainment of nearby older passengers, some of whom took pity on the Grandpa who was "in charge" of this bundle of energy; she soon became close friends with this couple from New Orleans who told me they had 10 kids, but only 4 or 5 grandchildren whom they didn't get to see as often as they liked. The lady, apparently convinced that Grumpy could not adequately spoil this charming little girl all be himself, purchased a soft, cuddly "beanie baby" kitten and gave to Olivia.

Olivia was not as curious as I had anticipated about what could be seen out the window; only the impressive cumulus clouds, including some developing thunderstorms (which our flight neatly avoided!), got her to call for my attention. During the majority of the five and a half hour flight to Seattle, Olivia curled up asleep in her seat (sometimes with her head on my lap), just as she had done during the two-hour flight from Merida to Houston.

Olivia's Papa and brother Ramiro met us at SeaTac. At home, Abuelita welcomed us home and soon the brother/sister pair, who had been separated for nearly five years, were engaged in a typical riot. Starting with a playful jab in the ribs by the little Sister and followed by the big Brother pursuit to a hopeless situation with Sister in the protective environment of Papa or Abuelita, then the Brother hiding and the curious little Sister seeking him out; a loud "BOO!!" from Brother as she passed by his concealment, screams and giggles as she ran and he again pursued! Such happiness!

It was pure joy on the part of we old folks to hear these sounds of contentment.

Our Summer Auto Tour through the Midwest; A Journal

June 23-July 7th, 2011; All Around the Midwest --

Day 1: We left home at about 0700, planning to stop in Couer d'Alene ID for a lunch and dinner visit with my cousin. Unfortunately, in the hub-bub of getting ready and a "few" other miscellaneous duties around the Castle, Grumpy forgot to advise his cousin of the exact day and time we were expecting to be there. "No problem", he thought, as he dialed his cousin on the cell phone. [Ten rings and no answer.] "Well, they are probably out shopping or seeing a doctor; I'll try again later." [An hour or so later -- about Moses Lake: Ten rings and the answering machine, to which Grumpy identified himself and announced our expected arrival for a lunch get-together.] After another hour or so -- now about an hour from Coeur d'Alene -- a third call [Ten rings and the answering machine, to which Grumpy again spoke pleadingly for a response if they were to be available for lunch and a visit.] Not getting a response as we were arriving in Coeur d'Alene, we decided to forego this visit opportunity; we would be coming back through C d'A on our return trip anyway. We topped off the gas tank and continued on to Deer Lodge MT for the night. The restaurant next door to our motel had the most delicious, homemade tomato soup, which we enjoyed for our evening meal.

Day 2:  With Grumpy's carefully plotted plans now all messed up (we had planned to stay overnight in C d'A the first night and Orem UT the second), we ate lunch as we drove down to Ogden UT, calling ahead to cancel previous reservations in Orem [as well as in Lander WY and an extra, earlier day in Indianola IA and in Spearfish SD] and to reserve lodging at an Ogden Super 8. Grumpy insisted on a "Handicap Accessible" room this time, after having not done so the previous night in Deer Lodge, and we had a good night's sleep. [Although the bed was too firm to suit these old folks.] We spent the afternoon and dinner visiting with our long-time friends, Hap and Gladys.

Day 3:  Leaving not too early this day, we arrived in Orem UT in time to have a brief mid-morning visit with our Nephew Jeff's middle daughter, Sarah, who had presented Jeff with his first Grandchild about three months previously. Little Angeline Belle was quite adaptable to allow these "out-of-town" strangers to hold her and get her picture taken. At this visit we also had a couple of bonuses: we met Shelby (Jeff's youngest daughter) and Sarah's husband John.

From Orem, we drove up to Lander WY -- again having our lunch as we drove -- arriving in mid-afternoon to visit another long-time couple from our days in Belle Fourche SD. This elderly couple, Neil and Dyllis (both in their 90's), were happy to see us and we had a good visit. Their daughter Dulcinda, husband John and granddaughter Natalie were also welcome faces in our meeting. After our visit, we then continued back down to I-80 at Rawlins WY where we had dinner and lodged for the night sans reservations.

Day 4:  Having been forewarned of a potentially long day's drive, we left fairly early [the days were getting shorter by an hour every time we crossed into a new time zone!!]. For lunch we stopped in Sidney NE ("Grandma's Cafe), Grumpy enjoying the best-tasting, best prepared steak ever. We were happy to make it to Grand Island NE in time for soup and comfortable lodging -- again without reservations.

Day 5:  The advantage of yesterday's long drive to achieve Grand Island was that now, with an early morning start, we were able to get to sister Hazel's house in early afternoon and enjoy an extra half day's visit! Grumpy had originally made reservations for two days stay at the Apple Tree Inn [the only motel in the Des Moines area with which we have not yet had a bad experience!]. Due to the aforementioned schedule mess-up, our stay was now to be three nights; Grumpy had called ahead to ensure the additional earlier day was also reserved. Our room at the Apple Tree had probably the most comfortable bed of our whole trip [In fact, it was so soft that Elynor found it difficult to turn over or change positions]. [The owner-manager when we checked in commented, "My wife has a note here that says, 'DO NOT MOVE!!' " When Grumpy had called to request the additional, earlier day of reservation for Room 100, is wife had told me that the person(s), who previously had been assigned to that room for that night, could be accommodated in different room.]

Day 6 & 7: We saw Hazel's two three-day old baby goats, each being fed on a bottle like human infants. We enjoyed organic eggs laid by free-ranging, hens who "enjoyed" the luxury of having two roosters each of whom thought they "owned" the flock. As a result of this competition, one rooster was always kept in a kennel in the house part of the day while the other one was out with the hens. [Ever had the unique experience of visiting while hearing a lusty rooster crowing in the background in the middle of the day?] 

Hazel, Elynor, Harry and Ward

One afternoon we were treated to a Blue Grass concert in the Indianola town square. We were able to find a spot in the shade, though, so didn't suffer any sunburn of our Northwest slug-skin. We also spent a mid-day visit with Elynor's 90-plus years old cousin Harry, who insisted (as he usually does!) in treating us to a delicious lunch. [He had really hoped to treat us to lunch in an Italian cuisine restaurant, but we found it closed.] This outing was particularly impressive to Grumpy, who was guided, not by Greta Garmin, but by Harry whose eyesight is virtually gone and whose guidance was dictated by a fantastic memory of the streets and distances along each with which he had become familiar in younger, better-sighted days.

Cousins Elynor and Edythe admire Oriental lily

Day 8:  Leaving Indianola, after a good night's rest, we traveled the back roads of Iowa to visit Elynor's other 90-plus years old cousin Edythe, who lives by herself in the country farm house shared with her husband Clem before he died many years ago. Again, Edythe [pictured here with a beautiful Oriental lily] insisted on fixing a bountiful lunch before we could depart. [Edythe is the older sister of Harry -- the "insist" genes run strong in the Norwegian blood, don't they!] While visiting and having lunch, Grumpy spotted this male Goldfinch grabbing his own bit of lunch from the feeder outside the dining room window. An attempt to photograph a pair of elusive Purple Grackles failed when they flew away as soon as they spotted the camera 50 yards away.

Continuing on after lunch, we made it all the way to Chamberlain SD and Al's Oasis before calling it a day. Again without reservations, we "made do" with a room at Oasis Inn that was not fully handicap-accessible. [We were fortunate in getting even this room -- other motels also had no handicap-accessible rooms since we had not made reservations. At $94, Grumpy thought this was to be the most expensive lodging of the trip, but alas, that would come later!] At least it was on the ground floor so the Grand Mother had no stairs to climb or descend, and there were sturdy assist rails in the bathroom. And the bed was deliciously comfortable. And we enjoyed a big dinner next door at Al's Oasis restaurant [Grumpy had the specialty of the house: Buffalo sirloin steak!].

Day 9:  After the typical complementary breakfast at Oasis Inn and topping off the gas tank, we drove to Kadoka where we were met by Betty, Elynor's childhood friend from Midland SD. What was originally intended as a visit over coffee turned out to be coffee and lunch, an extended visit with lots of laughs (girlie giggles, included!), and sharing of family updates. 

However, there was still time to drive on to Spearfish -- wait a minute!! WE DON'T HAVE RESERVATIONS ANYWHERE FOR TONIGHT!! -- so we stopped in Rapid City at around 1:30 p.m. and found handicap-accessible lodging at a Day's Inn just off the freeway. [This was by far the most expensive lodging of the trip -- $144! -- and the most undesirable! The room smelled like it had been smoked in; we requested and were assured by the manager on duty that it would be "deodorized" during the afternoon hours prior to our coming back for the evening at 7 p.m. Unfortunately, when we arrived later that evening, the smell was as bad as ever; we complained again to yet a different manager on duty, but since there was no other available handicap-accessible room, we accepted our fate and went to bed. A complaint to upper management of Day's Inn was filed via e-mail; no response to date.]

Long-lost Cousins, Elynor and Ethyl finally meet.

During our time away from the motel, we were able to do our accumulation of laundry and enjoy a long visit over dinner with Elynor's cousin, Ethyl. Elynor had maintained a letter correspondence with Ethyl for maybe 30 years or more, but they had never met face-to-face! Ethyl is the daughter of Grandpa N's sister, also named Ethyl.

Day 10:  Leaving our "unluxury" motel [further surmising that the obnoxious odor seemed to emanate from the air-conditioner], we drove to Newell SD for a visit and lunch with Grumpy's second-oldest (at 92) cousin Lorraine. Lorraine is the oldest (by six or more years!) of eight children, and has survived longer than three of her younger siblings. She lives alone in an elder-care facility, able to walk with a cane, but dependent on others to provide her necessary transportation.

Tonight, we checked in to our reserved, handicap-acceptable, pool-side room at Spearfish Creek Inn [next to pleasantly gurgling Spearfish Creek!]. The ownership had changed since a year ago, but the friendliness and desire to please has remained. We would spend the next four nights at the Spearfish Creek Inn, choosing to drive the 50 miles to Rapid each day rather than spend about twice as much for questionable quality accommodations in the big city. [Another year, we had reserved a handicap-accessible room at a Super 8 and found that it required a treacherous detour down a steep ram, through a cramped doorway to get to our room -- across the hall from the motel laundry! No thanks Super 8!!]

Day 11, Sunday:  We found the Baptist church that we had attended last year with Grumpy's cousin Bitsy. It began at about 9:30 with coffee/doughnut fellowship, with worship service following at 10:30. We introduced ourselves as Bitsy's cousins and met many friendly people [who bemoaned with us that she was in hot Texas instead of here in cooler Spearfish], including the young interim pastor. As is becoming typical due to Grumpy's failing hearing, not much of the sermon was understood by him, but the feeling of worshiping with like-believers was nonetheless comforting.

In the afternoon, we had coffee and a visit with a 90-plus years old couple whom we met when we lived in McLaughlin SD. Among other things (children, grandchildren, etc, etc) we discussed the way things in McLaughlin has changed since we all lived there. [Although the Badger Cafe has probably survived!] Emil and Irene live in a Senior Citizens housing area in Black Hawk SD (north of Rapid City).

Day 12, Fourth of July:  Today was the "big day", around which Grumpy's entire trip itinerary was scheduled: the now-infamous back yard barbecue and water fight at Gary and Cindy's!! [NOTE: A water fight, using toy water guns reloaded from a convenient collapsible kiddy pool, has been customary since Grumpy and the Grand Mother first experienced this event five years ago. So naturally, it was to be expected that the tradition would persist in 2011.]  

Before going to the barbecue in the afternoon, we stopped to visit Grumpy's cousin Ann and husband Jack, having mid-morning coffee [and ice cream!!] with them while sharing memories of days gone by as kids growing up in rural South Dakota. Jack showed Grumpy an antique, right-handed log-peeling ax (and an adze) that he won at an auction. The axe was right-handed because of the distinctive bend in the handle to allow for the blade to have a more horizontal orientation when wielded by a right-handed woodsman.

Just a sample of the continuous "liquid" action! 

Melanie with Brady and proud Grandpa Larry

The back yard barbeque did not disappoint Grumpy vis a vis the occurrence of the traditional water gun fight. In fact it was made more interesting this year with the surprise appearance of an awesome pump-action water gun capable of firing at [more correctly, "wetting down"] an unsuspecting victim as far away as 30-40 feet! Due to his "inadvertently" getting involved in the water gun fight, Grumpy warned certain would-be "squirts" that he would be bringing an automatic repeating water gun in 2012. [Conditional on permission being first obtained from the resident "peace officers", Gary and Cindy. Also, being granted leave to do so by the Grand Mother, of course!]  In any case, this annual event is something to look forward to with great glee. This day was especially enjoyable because of getting to see Francis and all of the Rapid City clan, including those who came from Colorado Springs; and Grandchildren and Great Grandchildren, oh my!! We especially enjoyed a bubbly, energetic conversation with Haley, the teenage member of the Great Grandchildren generation. [Five years before, Haley was the culprit who "accidentally" -- on purpose!? -- soaked the Grumpy One during an especially heated water gun episode. Now five years later she was much too mature to engage is such childish antics.]

Day 13:  Today, we took our time, catching up on some much-needed sleep and packing for tomorrow's travel back towards home. Grumpy originally chose to not plan to travel this day in order to avoid possible "crazy" drivers so soon after the Fourth of July holiday. As it turned out, a memorial service for our Nephew Robert had been planned for this afternoon. We were glad we were able to be there. Robert's widow Marjorie from Alaska had arranged for a triple service (Masonic, Military and Episcopal), held at the Rapid City American Legion hall. There we met Tammy, Robert's daughter from Florida and her husband; and Larry's wife Marsha, and all four of their children, including Jason (Dr, if you please!) who is busy setting up his practice in Rapid.

One more cousin to visit before we left the Hills was Jimmy and wife Shirley. They live on the dairy farm that Jimmy's dad, Uncle John bought when the family moved from their Ziebach County ranch to the Black Hills in the late '40's. All of the cropland is leased out, raising corn or alfalfa hay. But Jimmy still can't resist the urge to go out on his tractor [yes, he still keeps all of the farm machinery as if he wasn't retired!] and mow or bale hay when he thinks the one who is supposed to do it is not getting it done when it ought to be done; this is where he was the day before when we called to see when it would be a good time to come out. Jimmy is one of Lorraine's younger siblings; his twin brother died several years ago. We found both to be in good spirits and we had a good visit during the mid-morning, with coffee served up by Jimmy.

Day 14:  Leaving our motel at 6 a.m., with breakfast at the local Cedar House and topping off the gas tank in Belle Fourche, we headed west on US-212, arriving in Missoula MT about 12 hours and 625 miles later. With sore behinds, we found lodging at a Super 8 motel for the night, and after a supper at the McDonald's across the street, we retired early in anticipation of the relatively short drive to Coeur d'Alene tomorrow to visit my cousin there whom we had missed on the trip out.

Day 15:  Timing our start to allow our arrival in Coeur d'Alene for mid-morning, we now found that the telephone number we had previously contacted was "no longer in service". When we arrived at their address in C d'A, we found a "FOR SALE" sign in the front yard and the house obviously vacant. Checking with the neighbor across the street we learned that, after some serious medical problems, my cousin Ed and Sara had been moved by their daughter Mia, to Texas "about six weeks ago".

We drove on west on I-90, stopping for lunch at the Perkins restaurant in Ritzville [see previous post!]. After lunch, we drove on, exiting near George WA to go through Wenatchee. In Wenatchee we stopped at our favorite peach and cherry orchard and bought 16 pounds of succulent Rainier and Bing cherries to bring home to share. We then continued on over Blewett and Snoqualmie passes and were home this day by about 5:30 p.m. We were tired, happy and yet somehow refreshed by having been able to travel almost 5,ooo miles in two weeks and visit so many different friends and relatives.

The Grand Mother Finally Accedes to Ritzville!!

7 July 2011; In Ritzville WA! --

Today is a red-letter day for the Great Grumpy! Today, the Grand Mother finally agreed with him to a sojourn in that great, dry, isolated metropolis of Ritzville, Washington. 

As many of you already know, we had the opportunity to leave this Kingly county, with its wet weather and slanted politics for the Eastern parts of Washington State. In 1989, two years after Grumpy hung up his slide-rule and calculator for the relaxing life of retirement, the real estate prices in Spokane were half of those in King County. However, the Grand Mother was unconvinced to leave her beloved home overlooking the South end of Lake Washington, to live in "that God-forsaken town"; alternatively she even turned moving in with Grumpy in a to-be-rebuilt log cabin on the shores of Lake Sprague, stating (in no uncertain terms: "You go right ahead; you can come back to visit anytime!!"

So it was with great surprise and future anticipation that Grumpy caught the Grand Mother in the pose shown below:

The Grand Mother accepting the 'Welcome to Ritzville', 7 July 2011

 

 

Stay tuned to this BLOG-spot for more of the belatedly-posted adventures of the rest our Summer 2011 Auto Tour.