Vacation 2004

Well, I'm back! ! !
Let me rephrase that, we're back . . . I guess if you think or worry about something so much, it's bound to turn out ok, eh? We has so much trepidation, it just had to turn out just fine! ! !

All I can say is I had a wonderful time! ! ! Even better, the Wife and Children had a wonderful time, too. This was for both Baltimore and Asheville.

In Baltimore, we were smart enough to stay in a hotel just down the road. This was an issue with the family at first, but soon became a non-issue. Let's see, we had the matriarch, six aunts and uncles, 10 nieces and nephews (in-laws included) and 7 great grandchildren. Most of the family lived with in three blocks of each other. Inner city row houses bring a new meaning to closer living.

Anyway, we all had a blast. We spent one day at the Smithsonian which is two days short of what is needed. It was my first time in DC and the dichotomy of inner city slums contrasted with the majesty of our nation's capital is amazing. I've been to London, Paris, Rome, Venice, Vienna, Amsterdam, etc. and I've never seen such a stark contrast of poverty abutted against such national treasures. Sad. ..

We also spent time at the Inner Harbor, which is a lovely place. I just wish we had a chance to go to Camden Yards, but the only game in town was against the hated Yankees which was sold out.

One day was spent cemetery hopping. We visited four vast graveyards and drove by two others. Man, being from the West, we don't have the architecture nor the cemeteries they have on the East Coast. These cemeteries are vast!! These places will be excellent locations for future oil reserves if the formaldehyde doesn't ruin it . . .

Next was with me mum and gran. It's quite a change from over twenty members of a clan down to 6 . . . But we went river rafting down the French Broad River and just hung out.

It was quite a contrast of matriarchs. The Wife's celebrated her 80th on 24/7 oxygen due to OPD unable to walk with out a walker and confined to a chair. Mine is 81 with her third pacemaker (20 yrs with one), yet still full of life. She wrestled on the floor with the Daughter (5) and is sharp as a tack when it comes to dominos. But she weighs 2 lbs more than the Boy (9) at 85 lbs! ! ! She's quite something and hasn't changed much since I lived with her 30 yrs ago. I gather my strength from my mother and my grandmother. My wife thanks them everyday for how they've shaped me. . . .

Now that we're back, I've been put to the grindstone. . . Spock, help me Spock . . .