Thankful We All Made It Safely

While we were flying back to Orlando last night, Cal and Maggie arrived safely in Chicago around 5 p.m. They said that the roads were pretty clear after they passed through the northern part of Indianapolis and there was no snow to speak of in Lincoln Park.  I was thankful to hear that and glad that the storm didn't interfere with Cal's work schedule.

Brett called this morning to let me know that he and Karen had a pleasant night at the hotel last evening using their food credit to purchase "dinner" at the hotel snack bar.  Monroe and Bartholemew County were still in the red for travel, but they decided at 8:30 a.m. to try driving it.  I was extremely worried about their trip as I find the drive to be difficult even on a clear day.  Fortunately, Brett had a lot of experience with that stretch of IN 46 and had no problems getting back to Columbus.  The roads still had snow on them, but for the most part were drivable.  The only problem he had was the spray of snow from other cars on his windshield as they passed by.  Neither he nor Karen made it home in time to go to work today, but that didn't matter as most businesses in their area including Extra Space Storage were closed for weather.

Doug stayed in Orlando last night at Meg's while I made the trip home.  It was nice to sleep in my own bed and to spend today unpacking.  I have been traveling a lot since last June, and I was glad that I was done for a while especially after yesterday.  I do not think that I will ever forget this weekend.  Although there were some very scary moments, it was wonderful to spend Cameron's 21st birthday together in a town that we all love, and I thank God for safely bringing us all home.

Winter Storm Fern

Unfortunately, Winter Storm Fern arrived just as predicted and left Bloomington with fourteen inches of snow in less than twenty-four hours.  I tried not to think about it last night but only slept about three hours worrying about how we would all get home.  Cameron obviously wasn't an issue, but Meg, Nick, Doug and I had flights that left at 3:45 today.  Cal and Maggie had to drive all the way to Chicago, and even though it was the shortest distance, Brett and Karen had the worst trip home as the roads to Columbus from Bloomington were extremely hilly and windy.  

By the time that everyone woke up this morning, I had checked the weather channel and the Indiana Department of Transportation road map hundreds of times.  Between the information that I had gathered and the fact that the roads were pretty bad outside our window, we all thought the best thing to do first was call the front desk and ask for a late checkout.  Thankfully, they were very helpful and told us that we didn't have to decide until 1 p.m. on whether or not we would need the room for one more night.  They also let us know that the hotel was open for breakfast until 11 a.m. which we really appreciated since everything else in the area was closed.  

Over breakfast, everyone started to make their plan.  Brett and Karen were definitely staying one more evening as all of the counties in between Bloomington and Columbus were in the red for emergency travel only.  Cal and Maggie wanted to try to leave at some point today and thought that they would wait to see if the snow subsided at all.  Doug asked me to change our flight to the last one of the day with the hope that some of the roads would be clear in the afternoon.  

I called Meg once we got back to our room and she said that they were going to go ahead and try to make it to Indy.  They felt that I-69 would be clear enough to travel on and that their SUV would be able to handle it.  I asked them to call me once they got on the interstate so we could then make a better decision on what to do.  The INDOT cameras were still showing a lot of snow on the roads in Martinsville, but there were a few cars out.

As soon as I got off of the phone, the snow stopped.  We waited about fifteen minutes but didn't hear from Meg, so Doug and I decided that we would just try driving it.  I was very nervous as I knew that I would have to drive due to his tremor but also wanted to get home if possible.  On our way to the van, Meg called to let me know that they had picked up Cameron from Cora's and dropped him off at his place and were heading out, so they would be behind us shortly.  

There was a clear path on the side roads, but only one lane.  The intersections and the exit ramp were a different story as they were extremely challenging to drive on since all of the snow from the plows and the cars that had traveled earlier were piled in the middle.  I wasn't sure that we were going to make it the few miles to I-69, but thankfully, we did.  Cal called as soon as we go to the interstate and decided that they would try it as well.  The weather had not impacted Northern Indiana or Chicago, so he knew once he got past Lafayette, they would be fine driving the rest of the way.

Our trip to the airport was definitely scary with some sections being a lot worse than others.  I drove no more than thirty-five miles the entire way. It was hard to see the road for most of the trip, but I could make out the tire ruts from previous drivers which did help.  There were a few times that a pile of snow would grab my tires, but since I had a lot of experience driving in bad weather, I knew not to brake, to let my foot off the gas and to hold on to the steering wheel.  The worst part of the drive was the several cars that ran up on my bumper going well over fifty miles an hour before passing me.  We hoped that I-465 would be clear, but it was actually worse with piles of snow on the exits and in between lanes.  The toughest part of the drive was the last five miles on I-70.  Doug counted ten cars stuck in the snow on just that section of I-70.  Thankfully, a semi was in front of me and Nick was behind me so I followed the one and knew that the other would not ride my tail.  

As soon as we pulled into the rental car parking garage, I immediately changed our flight to the 3:45 one even though there was only an hour until boarding as there were plenty of seats and very few people in the airport.  Meg and Nick got Shake Shack for dinner while Doug and I took our time getting through security.  It was by far the scariest drive that I had personally ever made, and I was extremely glad to be sitting in the airport waiting on the plane to be de-iced before we took off for home.  

Celebrating Cameron's 21st

Doug and I had a wonderful day in Bloomington.  We started our morning shopping for National Championship merchandise with Maggie.  Cal was busy working and everyone else had plans, so we really appreciated her spending time with us.  We didn't buy a lot, but Maggie and I each got a shot glass commemorating the win, and she and Doug picked up free posters at Upstairs Pub just missing out on the shirts that they were giving away.  We ended the morning by giving Maggie a driving tour of our favorite places on campus.

Cal had just finished working when we got back to the hotel and we were glad to hear that he was able to join us for lunch at Nick's.  Brett and Karen arrived right as we were seated and the six of us had a lot of fun talking and watching the National Championship ceremony on television.  We thought about going, but the cold weather and the fact that it was being held outdoors at Memorial Stadium was a huge deterrent.  In the end, we really enjoyed the atmosphere at the alumni bar while the program was playing, and we were glad that we had chosen to watch it there.  

After lunch, Cora, Cameron, Meg and Nick met us at Oliver Winery to begin our official family celebration of Cameron's 21st birthday.  It was cold on the back patio, but it was enclosed which did help quite a bit. We were all impressed to hear that Cameron and Cora had watched the football team's celebration outdoors at the stadium and enjoyed hearing about it from them.  Before everyone started wine tasting, Cameron opened his gifts.  They were all alcohol themed and Maggie even created a drinking around the world at Epcot gift that highlighted each of the countries with a small bottle.  It was really cute.  Besides bringing a gift from her and Nick, Meg had gotten decorations and dessert for the party and which we appreciated very much.

The snow started to fall on our way back into town.  Meg and Nick decided to take a break at their hotel, but everyone else went to Heartworks Brewing Company.  It was new and Cameron really wanted to try it. Those who ordered a beer really enjoyed them and the atmosphere was a lot of fun.  It reminded us of Infinite Ale Works before they added food.  From there, we traveled to the hotel to regroup before going out tonight.  The snow had definitely increased, and we knew that whatever we did, we would have to Uber.

Meg and Nick had a living room attached to their hotel room, so we decided to meet there at 6:30 this evening.  Several restaurants and bars had closed due to the impending storm, but that didn't change too much for us.  Doug and Cameron walked to Pizza Express to get pizza and breadsticks, and Nick and Brett went to Big Red Liquors for drinks.  We had fun a lot of fun eating dinner and playing games with everyone for the next few hours.  

Thankfully, the two bars that Cameron wanted to go to were within walking distance of Meg's hotel.  It was cold and snowy, but we weren't outside very long.  The first one, Kilroy's, was packed so Cameron decided that Upstairs Pub made a lot more sense.  We had fun hanging out there for several hours while Cameron's siblings bought him a few drinks.  Cal talked several in our group into trying a Malort shot.  It was made famous by the bartenders in Chicago and everyone who tried it agreed that it wasn't terrible but definitely wasn't a favorite either.  There were several football players celebrating at Upstairs as well.  That didn't surprise us as many of the seniors were enjoying their last weekend in Bloomington since most graduated in December. We all enjoyed singing along to the song Fernando in their honor.

Cameron, Cal, Maggie, Cora and Nick wanted to go to Brother's Bar next.  Doug and I decided to opt out as it was already after ten.  We had enjoyed the night out with our children but realized that we weren't quite the college bar crowd anymore.  No one seemed to mind that we were leaving, and we enjoyed hanging out with Meg for a little bit longer before catching a ride back to our hotel.  Brett and Karen also decided to skip out on Brother's and beat us back to the Hilton.  Overall, it was a wonderful day, and I was incredibly happy to spend it together as a family.  

Let the Party Begin

I spent the morning at my parents helping them where I could, packing a few items that I still had stored in my closet upstairs and coloring my hair.  I was glad for the extra time to visit as I wasn't sure that I would be able to return to Indiana until the end of March at the earliest.  Doug and I both had surgeries scheduled in February and Cameron was going to be visiting in March for his spring break.  I wish I could do more, but for now I will just be happy that I was able to visit and do a few things for them such as setting up a Ring camera for their front door.

I left early as I as I wasn't sure what the roads would be like on the way to the Indianapolis airport.  Thankfully, they were extremely clear and since there wasn't any traffic to speak of, I went ahead and drove all the way to Bloomington.  That way, I could get settled at the hotel and buy a few groceries before picking up Doug.  I couldn't believe all of the people at Kroger.  I shouldn't have been surprised as the news of this weekend's Winter Storm Fern was everywhere.  I hoped that it wouldn't be as bad as the meteorologists were predicting but made sure to have food and water just in case.

Doug's flight was on time, and we were back in Bloomington by 8:30 p.m.  Cameron had plans with his roommates tonight, so I was glad that Meg and Nick were interested in joining us at Upland Brewing Company for dinner.  We made the mistake of walking the six blocks to the restaurant.  It was absolutely freezing and my eyes hurt really bad when we arrived.  Thankfully, it was warm at Upland, and we had a great time with Meg and Nick.  He took us back to our hotel and we hung out with them in the lobby bar until 11:30 or so.  We all got a kick out of a guy sitting at the bar.  When we arrived, he told us that they had just closed a minute earlier.  I looked surprised and said that we had checked with the bartender before we left for dinner and that she had told us that the bar closed at 11 p.m. and it was only 10:04.  The guy at the bar got extremely embarrassed and said that they were just customers and he had read online that it closed at 10.  We laughed about it most of the night and the guy ended up buying three of our drinks because he felt bad. He didn't have to do that, but it made for a great way to end a fun evening.

A Visit to Syracuse

I watched Chicago Fire with my parents last night and caught up on how they have been doing since my mom broke her hip and my dad started radiation.  They both looked very tired and their situation seemed overwhelming, especially since none of us were close by to help.  I didn't sleep very well thinking about them last night as I wasn't sure where they could get consistent daily help or even if they would except it.  I was afraid that my dad would wear out driving to and from Warsaw every day for treatment along with taking care of my mom.  I also wasn't sure how long it would take for her to recover.  

Getting out of the house today for a haircut at Amanda's and visiting with Harlan when he stopped by to check in on my parents helped me feel a little better.  I knew that they were two people that we could count on to lend a hand or look for help if my parents needed it.  I also realized that there were others as well.  No one could be there constantly but maybe could help until my parents decided what they wanted to do long-term.  I know that they really like living in their home, but I am not sure that will always be possible.  I guess time will tell and for now all I can do is pray for them and trust in God's plan.  

Happy 21st Birthday Cameron

I flew out this morning for a few days in Indiana.  My plane arrived on time and there was a van waiting for me when I got to the Indianapolis Airport.  My first priority was to take a suitcase full of items to Brett and Karen's that they had left at our place over the holidays as they did not have room for them.  I was glad to help, and we all agreed that next time they would have to bring an extra suitcase in anticipation of the gifts that they would receive.  I didn't get to see Brett as he was at work but spent some time with Karen before leaving for Bloomington.

My main goal in arriving today was taking Cameron out for a late lunch/early dinner for his 21st birthday and buying him his first legal beer in the United States.  He was done with class early, so we were able to catch up before picking Cora up and heading to Buffalouie's.  This was the first time in quite a while that I had walked into the restaurant without their being a long line to order food.  We sat upstairs and talked a lot about Cameron turning 21 and their time at the National Championship game.  Cora and Cameron were two of the few that returned yesterday as a lot of their friends had to wait until Wednesday to fly out.  I had a great time with the two of them and was very glad that I was able to spend the afternoon with Cameron on his momentous birthday.

After dinner, I dropped everyone off at their apartments and started my drive to Syracuse.  The temperature remained in the 40s and the roads were clear, so it was a very easy drive.  I also listened to a Netflix series called His and Hers that Meg recommended.  It was a small-town thriller and kept my attention the entire three-hour drive.  This morning at 5 a.m. I wasn't sure that I would be able to make it to Syracuse tonight but arrived around 9 p.m. glad to be able to sleep in tomorrow.  

One More Piece of the Puzzle Answered

It was a hectic morning getting out the door as I had to finish packing and also wait for our security company to arrive to fix our monitoring system.  It had gone out yesterday morning, and I really wanted it to be fixed before I left for the rest of the week.  Thankfully, they were able to repair the system and replace all of the batteries in the smoke alarms before I left for Orlando.

Cameron's train was a few minutes late, but I didn't mind.  It gave me time to look at all of the reels from last night's victory.  I still couldn't believe that IU won the football national championship.  Watching all of the Hoosier fans walk out of the Brightline terminal helped it to sink in a little bit more.  Cameron was definitely tired from his whirlwind trip to Miami, but extremely happy.  He had brought Doug and I a program from the game which we really appreciated.  He also showed me all of the other souvenirs that he was taking home.  I loved listening to his stories from yesterday.  He had definitely enjoyed the experience of a lifetime.  We had just enough time to eat lunch from Panda Express before he headed to TSA.  I waited with him and talked some more during his half hour wait.  Between the football travelers and vacationers from President's Day weekend, it was definitely a packed airport.  Thankfully, Cameron made it through without any issue and was well on his way to Indianapolis by 4:45 this afternoon.  

After Cameron left, I was able to sit in on a virtual appointment that Doug had with his neuropsychiatrist late this afternoon.  She went through all of the testing that he had done (700 questions) and talked about the pictures that Doug had to provide a detailed story for. I think that was the part that Doug found most interesting.  The good news was that the questions and pictures pegged Doug's personality 100% and let us know that he sees life as a man and woman coming together to solve a problem.  That didn't surprise me at all as that is the way we have always lived our life.  The doctor's report also told us that Doug's tremor was not psychosomatic.  Neither one of us were surprised to hear that either.  At this point neither Doug nor I believe that we will ever know what officially caused the tremor, but at least today's visit did help us answer one more piece of the puzzle.