Friday, March 28, 2008

Biloxi to Birmingham

I guess time flies when you are having fun. I can’t believe that over 6 weeks have passed since I last updated this blog. We made it to Mississippi and passed our physician’s inspections with flying colors. We only spent a couple weeks on the coast, just enough time to see a few friends, play a little golf (albeit rather poorly), and do some research at the library. Then we went up to Jackson for some more research at the Museum of Natural Science, a meeting with my publisher and then on to Birmingham, AL.

We got off to a great start in Alabama. Our almost-two grand daughter was changing day care centers and there was a two week break where sitting services were desired. (OH! Don’t throw me in that briar patch!!) What a treat. I'm not sure the cat enjoyed it all that much though. Timing is everything. Walks along the lake at the RV park with geese following for handouts of bread were a daily routine. To see Braelyn respond to the natural world around her and react to the sensory stimulations was a blast. Her vocabulary seems to grow every few days and Sandi and I now have the “A B C Song” down pat as well as “Intsey Wintsey Spider” (not sure of the spelling on that one!).

Sandi met with an orthopedic surgeon to evaluate her shoulder that she injured during volunteer training at Big Bend and her knee that she injured on our “Hike from Hell” (see earlier posting) also at Big Bend and the prognosis is good. Her shoulder is responding exceptionally well to therapy and will probably return to normal; the knee is getting better but still has room for improvement.

We decided to move the few things we had in storage in Biloxi to a similar facility here in Birmingham. The rates are much lower and will be much more convenient since we will get through here periodically to visit.

It is nice being close to see Jayme, Chris, and Braelyn and this time out visit coincided with Easter. After the essential Easter Egg Hunt we got together for Easter dinner here at the RV. Sandi made ham, yams, veggies--excellent! Chris and I fished in the pond and we each caught a few that probably would have been a meal had we kept them.
We'll leave her on the 31st of March and will head to Maryland with plans to arrive around 4 April. We have a one-day delay planned for routine maintenance on the RV.