Home Videos Can be Dangerous to Your Health

For those of you following, I posted video on Day Four. So, if you haven't seen it, you should check it out.

Day five starts at 6am with Luke waking up and Mom and I heading down to the lobby for a free breakfast. Erin is staying with our Aunt and Uncle, so it is just the three of us for a while. We play with Luke, he takes his morning nap, and we head up the mountain. I am driving so that I know the way in order to get back down to give Luke his afternoon nap.

Aunt Connie makes a wonderful brunch of spaghetti frittata, and I have a huge piece. If you haven;t seen me eat lately, I am like a lumber jack. We chat, Luke crawls around their house, and son it is time for me to head back down the mountain.

Luke takes an ok nap, and we go to Kroger to stock up on more baby food and wipes. We would probably be ok without the extras, but I don't want to get home with a limited supply. Then Luke and I head back up the mountain.

It really is a mountain for those of you who have never travelled through West Virginia. This is coal country, and it is nothing but winding skinny roads and mountains and valleys. I am a very slow driver compared to those who live here, and I quickly have a line of cars following me up the mountain. I can hear an audible sigh with every turn I make that causes them to stay behind me for a little while longer

The afternoon is spent with me taking pictures of my Aunt's incredible yard, my Uncle walking around with Luke, and a bocce game between Aunt Connie and my Mom on one team and my cousin Frankie and Erin on the other. Ashley is in charge f cocktails, and Audrey is holed up in the house. It is a rainy afternoon, but it is really nice. The Moms beat te kids, and we head inside to chat and watch old home videos Aunt Connie has dug up of one of the last trips we took there as kids.

The video is from 1992, and I am 16, Erin is 9, Brad 12, and Jennifer 20. Ashley is 10 and Frankie is 13. Home videos can be dangerous because they have a tendency to bring up old issues amongst siblings. This particular one is of an Olympic series of games my Ant put together to keep the four youngest ones busy. Jennifer and I are apparently out shopping with my Mom and cousins Patty and Stephanie. The games are funny things like croquet, basketball, bubble blowing, and egg and water balloon tossing. What strikes me is how little the four: Brad, Erin, Ashley, and Frankie have changed. Jen and I come at the tail end of the video, and we are the same too. Jen does a backhand spring for the camera and I sort of play a supporting role to the chaos which includes finishing off the water balloons from the earlier games. I am thankful that there is very little of me on this tape as home videos can be dangerous to your health, reminding you of the stupid things you did when you were young and well, stupid.

We head to Cincinnati tomorrow and then we are home on Monday. One more city, one more hotel, before back to normal. I am happy to have had this time to look back at my childhood summers, but I am anxious to see the people we left back a home.

Today's video is primarily of my Aunt's flower gardens. She planted everything, weeds religiously, and even laid the brick, which was salvaged by my Uncle and hauled up the mountain.

You Can't Wear a Monkey Shirt to a Cemetery

We leave the hotel in Charleston with little fanfare except for an American flag that someone placed on the back of our car. We are not sure who did it, but we were told Brooks and Dunn were in own, so maybe a happy concert goer decided to share the American love.

Although the drive to Wheeling is a shorter drive than the others we have taken, Luke is a little bothered, and it is not as smooth as the day before but still really smooth for traveling with a nine month old.

We get to the hotel, which is on top of a mountain (everything in Wheeling is on top of a mountain), and it is really nice. Brad has hooked us up with rooms for this entire trip, and he has really not disappointed. The hotel is new, and we have two beds and a sitting area with a pull out couch. Erin is already saying she is not sure what her plans are, but she is hoping they involve an evening with her cousin Ashley.

The first order of business is a visit to the cemetery to visit Grandma and Grandpa Biega, my Mom's parents. Luke is wearing a Small Paul monkey shirt, and I decide to change him into a seersucker outfit his GeGe bought for him. He looks super cute. After all, you can't wear a monkey shirt to a cemetery.

We drive to the the cemetery, all the way Mom is narrating what has change in Wheeling. We pul in through the gates, and we are met by a casket in the middle of the drive! No one is around it, and we immediately burst into laughter and scream at Mom not hit the body. This is not appropriate humor for visiting the dead, but sometimes these things call for a little comedic break.

The mausoleum where my Grandparent's are buried is just as I remember, and it smells the same also. I don't think any of us were really in the mood for a long visit, so Mom placed the flowers Brad gave her by the crypt and we were off. We pass the casket in the road again, and Mom says, "My Grandmother is buried under the Ukrainian cross over there."

Erin and I jump out of the car to get a shot of the gravestone, and Mom yells out the window, "Not that one the other Ukranian cross." As we scan the cemetery, we see many crosses like the one we are standing in front of. She yells, "The pink one. Panko. Her name was Panko!." Erin and I find the cross, get the tombstone on video, and jump back in the car. We were like a comedy troupe. So much for austerity.

We drive around town taking videos of my Grandparent's old home, my Grandfather's childhood home and all sorts of old haunts from my Mother's childhood. Luke is sleeping, so when he wakes up we head to Coleman's for a fish sandwich. In a town of Catholics, this place has a line out the door during Lent. As it is on a Friday afternoon, there is a huge line, and the lady who takes our order is a little put out that we have questions about the menu. Everyone comments on Luke, and we get our sandwiches and eat in the marketplace.

Coleman's is as good as I remember, but Erin was not a huge fan of the sandwich. I think it is one of those things you are either nostalgic for or not ad apparently that sandwich is not part of her memory of visits to Wheeling. I on the other hand and remembering the last time I had one and wishing that my Dad could be there with us.

After Coleman's, we head to my Aunt and Uncle's house, and we spend the afternoon with them and my cousin Audrey. Their house is exactly as I remember it except that they have added a room off their old living room and kitchen, extended their deck, and built this incredible garden out back. It is amazing!

My Aunt has always been one of those women I really admire. She makes everything from scratch. I practically grew up on her pies. She cans, gardens, and knows everything about plants. I say she is superwoman, and she says no because she hates to keep house. I still think she is pretty amazing. My uncle is one of those guys who can carry three times his weight and works really hard. Everything around their house from the brick patio to the walkways to to the brick on their addition he salvaged from projects and buildings where the material would have just been thrown away. It is really a neat place, and I am glad to have the opportunity to visit what I think of when I think of my childhood summers.

Luke loves the visit, but he is completely off schedule, and Mom and I head back to the hotel leaving Erin behind to wait for my cousins Ashley and Frankie to arrive. As I type this, Mom is wandering the hotel with Luke to give me a break, so I am going to sign off without video, but I promise to have some tomorrow. I will definitely shoot some of my Aunt's garden (You would love it Elaine!).

A big shout out to our followers! We really appreciate the enthusiasm. This is really a fun experience.

All the Single Ladies

We have hit a little lull in our road tripping voyages. Charleston, WV is simply a stop over so that we aren't driving eight hours. When we arrive, we think it might have been worth the effort. But, I am getting ahead of myself.

Day three starts bright and early with Luke waking Mom and I at 5:18am. We start getting ready and Erin wakes and rallies although she got in late or early that morning. I start singing Beyonce, "All the single ladies; all the singles ladies." Then I say, "Oh wait a minute. I'm the only single lady. That's not really appropriate." The song and comment get a laugh, and we start the day off in a great way.

We get dressed, pack all thousand bags we have, and pull out the Renaissance by 6:30am. I am driving, Mom is sitting in the back with Luke, and Erin is asleep in the very back seat. This van is really perfect for this kind of thing.

Luke is awake for roughly half and hour, happy as a clam, and then Mom works her mojo and he is asleep. We drive for three hours before we need to stop for gas and magically Luke wakes up just in time to get out of the car and get a diaper change. Mom and I have been talking up a storm, and we are excited to find a gas station attached to a Starbucks

Erin is up, we get coffee and breakfast stuff, and we head back on the road This time Mom is driving, and I am in back with Luke. This does not work; we quickly pull over and switch. Me driving, Erin navigating and Mom on baby patrol. Somehow she manages to weave her spell by sining patriotic songs and Luke goes back to sleep again. He sleeps right up to the point we get into Charleston at 11am. It is a great drive, and we are all very glad to have started the trip early enough so that Luke is in great spirits. We become the single ladies as we go through three toll booths, but we don't hit too much traffic.

We are staying at the Marriott and right away it is drastically different treatment than what we had in Asheville. We can't get a cart for our bags; Erin goes off to try and friend one; they don;t have bell hops; no one seems to be able to help in anyway. There is a woman with a cart standing by the hotel entrance and Mom asks her if we can have it as soon as she loads. Se says she can't load because she can't get it over the speed bump. This is the tiniest speed bump ever created, so in my frustration, I waddle over to this woman. I am wearing Luke, and I take this woman's cart, pull it over the bump, drag it to this woman;s car, which is parked right behind ours, and she says to me, "Well I just didn't realize it would be that easy." No thank you; no nothing.

We get up to the room, which is soooo small compared to what we just left, and we quickly decide to head to the mall. After a miserable lunch at Chili's, we go back to the room, Luke takes a nap, and so do Mom and I. He sleeps for almost another two hours- traveling agrees with him.

Erin in her wonderfulness grabs him as soon as he wakes giving e another half and hour of rest, and I feel like a new woman. We walk around the mall again after our nap and decide what we really need is some room service and some blogging. Oh, did I mention we have to pay for wi-fi here? We are really ready to leave Charleston and head to Wheeling.

Day four... Coleman's fish sandwiches.

Walk, Walk, Walk; Don't Talk to Me Mrs. Potts

Day two of every road trip is always the toughest. The car has lost its luster; the hotel beds are mussed; the bags are mixed with dirty clothes. The trick is to find your rhythm and to focus on what you are trying to get out of the trip.

The morning starts off with a happy squeal from Luke at 6:18am EST and a walk with Mom around Asheville. This is a really pretty town. The downtown area is all locally owned stores and restaurants, and there is art work every where. We pass a statue of a pig, a piglet, and two turkeys on our walk. I am not sure what they are all about, but they were pretty cool for Luke.

Breakfast at the hotel before waking Erin up (technically for the second time- she is a really good for putting up with the early rising of two noisy women and a baby) is followed by a visit to Brad's. I stay at the hotel with Luke to blog and nap, while Erin walks Mom to Brad's house which is a two block moderate cup hill climb (no wonder he got here so quickly the night before because it was all down hill).

They pick up Brad and proceed to walk her to The Green LIfe Grocery for latte's and fresh fruit. Yes, this is the same establishment that Erin worked out during her stint in Asheville. Oh, yes, did I mention it was another four blocks away from the hotel? After coffee, Mom , Erin and Brad begin their now eight or nine block return to the hotel since Brad and Erin both had strong opinions on which street to cross and which was the more scenic route. They finally return and we decide on where to go for lunch. Luke meanwhile is entertaining himself with the baby in the mirror under the desk in the hotel room.

For lunch we head to 12 bones; it's the place President Obama ate at when he visited Asheville. On the way to the restaurant, things get a little stressful regarding one person's driving abilities, and I tell the story of how Mrs Potts talks to Mom at night. That's right. On a regular basis, Mrs. Potts says, "Chip, time to get into the closet. Allie... allie... ox and free." Brad and Erin look at me like I am crazy telling this story. I then explain how Mom has a Mrs. Potts doll inside of her window seat and that the doll, for some unknown reason, goes off in the middle of the night. Even though it works on a sensor a no one is moving. OK. Maybe it isn't a great story, but it got everyone laughing, and that was what is important. Mom says, "I tell her.. 'Don't talk to me Mrs. Potts.'" She's a riot.

12 Bones is really good. Barbecue that you stand on-line for because they only make so much every day and when they run out that is it. I order a pulled pork sandwich, greens, and mac and cheese; Mom a plate of ribs, greens, and jalapeno grits; Erin pulled pork plate, cornbread, cucumber salad, and greens; Brad pulled pork sandwich, baked beans, and cucumber salad. I ate everything plus one of Mom's ribs. Brad and Erin said they couldn't finish everything because they had too much coffee and not enough breakfast before coming. Erin drank a 4 shot espresso.

After lunch, Luke, Erin and I head back to the hotel for a little downtime and a nap. Mom and Brad head out to shop. Brad walks her all over town. They go to his place, a museum, target (where they sell wine at the checkout), a shoe store, and all of this was to take her to some place where they could sit down and chat.

Mom heads back to the hotel and Erin and I disregard her protests that she is walked out and we take her back out for a snack because I am already hungry. We walk and Mom says, "I thought we were going somewhere close." Erin says, "We're going right there." Mom says, "Right there is next to the hotel; we are walking down blocks." The place is cute, and we sit out on the patio. Mom watches a man pull a car into a parking lot, take the license plate off the car and then put it on another car which immediately drives away. We aren't sure what she say, but it might have been illegal. Luke enjoys being outside on the patio and loves sucking on carrot sticks. I pick up the last carrot stick on the plate and eat it before realizing that I may have just eaten Luke's carrot. Oh well, that's what Moms do I guess.

We meet Brad at the hotel for dinner t 5:30pm at The Admiral- a 4 star restaurant in a low end building. The place is dark and really cool. It reminds me of a darker version of Marche, and I immediately think John should open his own place. Maybe we have to move to Asheville... Before I start looking for house, Luke begins to fade, and Mom and I cut out early and head to the hotel. Brad and Erin follow later and bring us our dinner to go. Mom and I split the polenta (delicious); Brad has the steak; Erin has the diver scallops.

I get Luke into a bath, and he is asleep (for the second night in a row) at 8pm without any issue. Mom and I wind down and prepare for the early morning start to Charleston, WV.

This trip is not what you would call a restful one if your idea of rest is sleeping in, spa treatments, or long dinners with fabulous conversations, which is pretty much everyone's definition of relaxing. This trip is an opportunity. An opportunity to spend time with two women I love outside of our normal stomping grounds, which allows us to focus on each other instead of our day-to-day tasks. It's an opportunity to learn more about people I think I know, but I know that I could know them better. It's an opportunity I am really glad that I have and that I have taken.

Day three... Here we come!

We Begin

Day One starts off with the normal run-around routine. Luke is not napping, Mom can't find her driver's license at the car rental place, and Erin is talking on the phone with Alex, whom she hasn't spoken to in three days and is not getting off until she has to- can you blame her?.

We hit the road at noon and stop embarrassingly at McDonald's right out of the gate, but I don't think anyone is really talking a lot about nutrition on this trip. At least not for the car ride.

The ride down is smooth, and we make good time. Luke manages to sleep for two hours in the car- yeah! We stop right outside of Knoxville to fill up the car and for more nutrition- my favorite twillzers, carmellos, and gum.

About a half an hour outside of our destination Luke melts down. This of course is during the curviest, most dangerous part of the drive. If you have ever driven to North Carolina from Knoxville, you know what I am talking about. Luke hates the tunnels. They kind of freak him out. I have a "come apart," but Mom and Erin manage to keep their cool.

We call Brad as we pull into the hotel, and a wonderful bellhop helps load the ton of stuff that is required whether you are gone one day or a month with a baby. Brad walks over from his apartment and meets us. It is really good to see him!

Our hotel room is gorgeous with two double beds, a separate sitting room, two full bathrooms (more than I have at home) Starbucks on the counter and Aveda in the shower. We are in heaven.

Dinner at Fiore's is awesome. I have the gnocchi, Mom has the grilled ravioli, Erin has a huge pork chop, and Brad the duck with figs. Yum!

Luke and I head back a little early for a bath while the group enjoys dessert on the house. It's a really great place.

Sleep comes quick after a chat with Mom in the most glorious beds you have ever seen. Erin and Brad spend a night out on the town with friends and day one comes to a satisfying close.