Day 2, Three States and a Good Visit

Today begins with a massive hangover!  All three of us - Sandy, Terry and I.  Too much red wine (three bottles - one each) and too late to bed.  Will I never learn?  Apparently not.

My mission for the day is to drive with sister Sandy the two plus hours up to Thurmont, Maryland to see my brother, Paul, and sister-in-law, Marcia, and then on to Pennsylvania to visit with our mother, Irene.....just like the hurricane.  Three states in 2 hours.  Entirely possible here on the east coast.

I'm introduced to Sandy's new car, a Lexus sky blue hard top convertible coupe.  Sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeet!  Sandy dons her cute baseball cap and I my Grace Kelly scarf and off we go looking like movie stars.....feeling like what the cat dragged in!

After a brief visit with Paul and Marcia at their train and hobby shop, Catoctin Mountain Trains and Hobby, we head out to lunch where I'm treated to the southern delight......Deep Fried Dill Pickles!



 Oh yeah.  I thought "no way am I going to eat a deep fried pickle."  Well I'm here to tell you they are delicious!  I ate 2!  The three of us girls head up to Paul and Marcia's home to go through old photos from Dad's home and sort through costume jewlery from Mom's home.  And to have a hair-of-the-dog before heading over to see our Mom.

Sandy and I see Mom at just before 4:00pm and are delighted to find her new assisted care living arrangement much to our liking.  It's spacious with beautiful grounds, very friendly staff and residents and Mom has a lovely, good-sized room with her own furniture and art and personal affects.  She seemed happy and comfortable in her new surroundings which has relieved Sandy and I and set us at ease throughout our visit.  She DOES have complaints mind you food being the biggest but all-in-all we have found her well.

About 5:30 Paul and Marcia show up and the five of us proceed into Emmitsburg which is almost to Gettysburg for a nice dinner.  Within minutes of our arrival my brother promptly pours an entire glass of ice tea on Mom and me!  Oops....but we recover and have a lovely dinner sitting outside - a rare thing to do in the summer on the east coast.  Usually it's too hot or too buggy to sit and eat outside but northern Virginians are experiencing relatively mild weather after Irene (the hurricane not the mother) came barreling through.

Once Mom is safely back to her home just after 7:30pm.....past her bedtime....it's time for the three siblings and Marcia to head out for a hot fudge sundae with WET NUTS!  Another east coast delicacy!  Why can you NOT buy wet nuts in California I ask you?  If I lived back here I'd be 500 pounds!

Sandy and I arrived back to Broad Run, VA and the safety of her and Terry's nest just after 9:15, had a nice glass of red and a quick catch-up with Terry and now off to bed.

It has been a good day.  I confess that I dreaded seeing my Mom a little only because I had heard that she was entirely unhappy about her new "digs" and complaining alot.  I was prepared for the worst but got the best surprise with her pleasant demeanor and happy situation.  It's never easy being with our Mother because you never know what to expect, but today was good.

Marcia, trying to get away, Sandy, Mom and Paul.

Me and the sibs plus Mom.

Next up.....Dad!