Early August Update
Time sure flies when you are having fun! I have now been back from my trip for a little longer than I was away -- 2 weeks -- and even though I am "retired" it has taken that long to really get back in the swing of things.
My trip to southwestern West Virginia and Ohio was GREAT! Spending a week with one of my longest friends at her home was way overdue! Helen and I met in the 7th grade and even way back then enjoyed horseback riding together. So it was extra special that we got a ride in while I was visiting her. I was almost ashamed to admit that I had no clue what that part of West Virginia was like -- and I had never even wondered WHERE the capitol of the state was...it is, in fact, Charleston. Not a huge city, Charleston is bustling nonetheless and I was very pleased to tour all the museums, restaurants and concerts the area has to offer. But my "tour guide" Helen didn't confine our adventures to just Charleston. We spent two whole days exploring the area around the famous New River Bridge -- somewhere I had always wanted to visit, but never took the opportunity to.
Completed in 1977, the New River Bridge was at the time the single-most expensive project ever undertaken by the West Virginia Department of Highways. At 876 feet above the waters of the New River, the bridge was also the HIGHEST bridge east of the Mississippi and is 325 TALLER than the Washington Monument in our nation's capital!
For more than three decades, the main span of 1,700 feet held the world's record for the longest steel arch bridge in the world. The total length of the bridge and its approaches 3,030 feet, 6 inches. It took four years to build it and is visited by thousands of tourists every year. I have posted a couple of pictures on here to illustrate the beauty and engineering marvel of this structure.
"Bridge Day" is held every year on the third Saturday of October when the fall foliage is at its peak. People come from miles around to take part in or just to witness the famous "Bridge Jump" -- a feat definitely NOT for the faint at heart. Years ago, you could do a bungee jump off the bridge, but these days "jumping privileges" are reserved for those who have accumulated sufficient hours of PARACHUTING. They say the best place to watch this annual event is from a boat on the river below, but you have to get there the day before to even get close.
At the end of my first week at Helen's, she and I drove to the West Virginia Farm Museum where we were joined by fellow DS Diva, hurtinandhealin. It was so very good to see her again -- having been almost two years since we first met in person up at Deep Creek Lake, MD. She and I enjoyed 5 days together and I was thrilled to visit her new house! It suits her to a T and I know she's thrilled with it. Among other things, we spent one whole day doing the tour of Blennerhassett Island Historical State Park which is situated in the middle of the Ohio River near Parkersburg, WV. We enjoyed the boat ride (a sternwheeler) from the shore to the island and the horse-drawn wagon tour of the plantation. The guided tour of the house and auxiliary buildings was also fun and informative.
We visited a number of interesting local spots, including taking a walking tour of beautiful historic neighborhoods in Parkersburg, WV. Some of those homes were to die for -- and she said they are really something when decorated at Christmas!
One evening, we were joined by three of her friends for dinner and afterward, returned to her house with a total of 5 to play the card game "Quiddler." Lots of laughs and a great time was had by all. I can't thank her enough for her warm hospitality AND for the recipe for delicious barbeque cooked in the Crock-Pot!
I returned to Helen's on the following Sunday as my return flight out of Charleston was early EARLY morning. Helen and I talked about plans for the future and she hopes to get back down here for another visit sometime this coming winter.
Other than that, nothing new going on. I did finally receive an emailed response from my daughter -- the day BEFORE I was to leave on my trip. The tone was so upsetting, I had to work hard to just NOT think about it until after I got back. Finally, just the other day, I carefully wrote a reply. I have NO IDEA if she will respond or not -- and no doubt, she will be angry that I dropped some very broad hints about coming up to Maryland to visit my twin grandkids sometime in the fall. Time will tell. I'm not giving up, but I'm NOT kissing her ass, either.
So that's about all the news for this time. I AM starting to think about making a trip up to Orlando to visit another old high school buddy in early September AND trying to put together a trip up to Southern Pines, NC as well. The weather will start to get nice down here in early October, so any trip north will be limited to a week or so. Being away for two weeks is a lot -- especially with having to ship Jake & Woody over to Lisa's for that length of time. They did fine -- and actually LIKED the little dog that she was also keeping -- but hauling all their stuff over there takes up my whole SUV! My cats have A LOT OF STUFF!
Other good news is that Woody had a great 3-month checkup with Dr. Sisco! Woo hoo! His sugar and weight have stablized just with the continued diet of prescription food. So we're just going to keep doing what we have been and have faith that we caught his diabetes in good time and he didn't suffer any kidney damage.
That's all, folks! Check out my new photos when you get a chance...I will get them posted sometime today.xoxokathi
My trip to southwestern West Virginia and Ohio was GREAT! Spending a week with one of my longest friends at her home was way overdue! Helen and I met in the 7th grade and even way back then enjoyed horseback riding together. So it was extra special that we got a ride in while I was visiting her. I was almost ashamed to admit that I had no clue what that part of West Virginia was like -- and I had never even wondered WHERE the capitol of the state was...it is, in fact, Charleston. Not a huge city, Charleston is bustling nonetheless and I was very pleased to tour all the museums, restaurants and concerts the area has to offer. But my "tour guide" Helen didn't confine our adventures to just Charleston. We spent two whole days exploring the area around the famous New River Bridge -- somewhere I had always wanted to visit, but never took the opportunity to.
Completed in 1977, the New River Bridge was at the time the single-most expensive project ever undertaken by the West Virginia Department of Highways. At 876 feet above the waters of the New River, the bridge was also the HIGHEST bridge east of the Mississippi and is 325 TALLER than the Washington Monument in our nation's capital!
For more than three decades, the main span of 1,700 feet held the world's record for the longest steel arch bridge in the world. The total length of the bridge and its approaches 3,030 feet, 6 inches. It took four years to build it and is visited by thousands of tourists every year. I have posted a couple of pictures on here to illustrate the beauty and engineering marvel of this structure.
"Bridge Day" is held every year on the third Saturday of October when the fall foliage is at its peak. People come from miles around to take part in or just to witness the famous "Bridge Jump" -- a feat definitely NOT for the faint at heart. Years ago, you could do a bungee jump off the bridge, but these days "jumping privileges" are reserved for those who have accumulated sufficient hours of PARACHUTING. They say the best place to watch this annual event is from a boat on the river below, but you have to get there the day before to even get close.
At the end of my first week at Helen's, she and I drove to the West Virginia Farm Museum where we were joined by fellow DS Diva, hurtinandhealin. It was so very good to see her again -- having been almost two years since we first met in person up at Deep Creek Lake, MD. She and I enjoyed 5 days together and I was thrilled to visit her new house! It suits her to a T and I know she's thrilled with it. Among other things, we spent one whole day doing the tour of Blennerhassett Island Historical State Park which is situated in the middle of the Ohio River near Parkersburg, WV. We enjoyed the boat ride (a sternwheeler) from the shore to the island and the horse-drawn wagon tour of the plantation. The guided tour of the house and auxiliary buildings was also fun and informative.
We visited a number of interesting local spots, including taking a walking tour of beautiful historic neighborhoods in Parkersburg, WV. Some of those homes were to die for -- and she said they are really something when decorated at Christmas!
One evening, we were joined by three of her friends for dinner and afterward, returned to her house with a total of 5 to play the card game "Quiddler." Lots of laughs and a great time was had by all. I can't thank her enough for her warm hospitality AND for the recipe for delicious barbeque cooked in the Crock-Pot!
I returned to Helen's on the following Sunday as my return flight out of Charleston was early EARLY morning. Helen and I talked about plans for the future and she hopes to get back down here for another visit sometime this coming winter.
Other than that, nothing new going on. I did finally receive an emailed response from my daughter -- the day BEFORE I was to leave on my trip. The tone was so upsetting, I had to work hard to just NOT think about it until after I got back. Finally, just the other day, I carefully wrote a reply. I have NO IDEA if she will respond or not -- and no doubt, she will be angry that I dropped some very broad hints about coming up to Maryland to visit my twin grandkids sometime in the fall. Time will tell. I'm not giving up, but I'm NOT kissing her ass, either.
So that's about all the news for this time. I AM starting to think about making a trip up to Orlando to visit another old high school buddy in early September AND trying to put together a trip up to Southern Pines, NC as well. The weather will start to get nice down here in early October, so any trip north will be limited to a week or so. Being away for two weeks is a lot -- especially with having to ship Jake & Woody over to Lisa's for that length of time. They did fine -- and actually LIKED the little dog that she was also keeping -- but hauling all their stuff over there takes up my whole SUV! My cats have A LOT OF STUFF!
Other good news is that Woody had a great 3-month checkup with Dr. Sisco! Woo hoo! His sugar and weight have stablized just with the continued diet of prescription food. So we're just going to keep doing what we have been and have faith that we caught his diabetes in good time and he didn't suffer any kidney damage.
That's all, folks! Check out my new photos when you get a chance...I will get them posted sometime today.xoxokathi
Replies
What a fantastic update!!! I\'m so happy for you -- you do know how to make the best of life. :-)
Sounds like you had a wonderful time!
So nice to hear good news and stories. I have so many to tell and have not really written much in the last month.
One thing I have dealt with this week is my drinking. I have awakened the next morning too many time not know how I got home or where I was when I woke up. I have only been drinking for a few years now and here I am a raging alcoholic. I figured out what was eating me that was making me want to forget and not know so much. The pains I went through in Thai Binh are raw and hurt like hell. So, I am going to deal with that and get me peace with that time, with the betrayals, robberies, the beating that I experienced on Feb 1, 2013 along with the threat to kill me for only $2.50 and the cheating me out of wages, all adding up to over $5,000! I need to \"get through\" this and reduce the feelings of the trauma and shame. I am not ashamed of being a drunk! I am ashamed of the humiliations I went through at the hands of others and the helplessness that I experienced. I will take time to deal with this totally. I have got over the divorce and the attacks of my ex in matters of trust and honesty. Now, I need to get through this. It may take months or even a year. Until then, no drinking and, if I know that I am \"OK,\" then I may return to my 2-beers a day routine of the past 3 years. If I feel it is not \"OK,\" I can just let that go. I will be too busy working and more on the restaurant here in Ha Noi, which will open in mid-October! Amelia\'s (named after Amelia Aerhart): American Pizza and Hamburgers. The order was placed today for the equipment! GREAT NEWS!
I trust people here will be kind to me on this and all that.
Hugs and love,
Neesie
=)
What can I say!? Awesome.
You have every right to be eager to see grandkids. Hope time smoothes things out between you two.
Glad you had a good trip-I grew up in WV, went back this April after 18 years and realized I had forgotten what a truly beautiful state it is!
Praying for you grandkid situation-I\'m kinda in the same boat. My DIL\'s family rates #1 and I am somewhere around #29 on the priority list. I am treading the fine line between being true to myself and kissing her butt-trying not to push things or I won\'t be included in anything at all.
Thanks for continuing to be an inspiration!!
I\'m so glad you had such a nice time my friend. Very interesting journal!
You have the right attitude, girl. Live life the way you want to. As for the grandkids, I have only one and I have to tread a very carefully too. Hugs
Glad you had a wonderful visit with your old friend! I\'m really proud of you for sucking it up and ignoring the \"tough\" parts of your daughter\'s correspondence to still reach out and show that you care and want to see them...well the kids anyway!
I hope she will relent and let you visit...or why not see if they can come down to visit before school starts? You could ask...all she could say is no, right? Well, I guess she COULD say a heck of a lot more than that ;)
Big hugs friend!
Sounds like a great two weeks!