Five Short Days

During our RV trip, our family met in Southern California to spend some time with our son and his family in the town where they live. That reunion went by all too quickly, but Helen and I were grateful for every minute of the time we had together. I’m always envious of my friends who live near their grandchildren and have the opportunity to be with them regularly.

A few weeks ago, Justin, our son who lives in California told us that he missed our mountains and needed a Tennessee fix. He was searching for airline tickets and would call us as soon as he found some that would work. He called back the next day to tell us that he booked the flights and the whole family would be with him. We were elated. Justin’s work is very demanding, and he would only be able to stay for five days.  His only request was a trip to the mountains and to spend some time with his grandmother. Helen went to work on a plan the moment he hung up.

On the scheduled day of arrival, I felt that if the children didn’t land soon, Helen would explode she was so excited. She could hardly contain herself when they entered the airport lobby and greeted them with big hugs. Let the fun begin.

The first evening was a quiet one while everyone adjusted to the time zone change.  Three hours is a big adjustment, but everyone handled it well after a quick dip in the neighborhood pool and, by bedtime, the grandchildren did not seem to notice any difference at all.

We planned an outing to one of our lakes for the first big event, but the weather did not cooperate, so we went to a showing of the Lion King instead. I was eager to see the remake of this movie and was not disappointed. The children sat in rapt attention through the entire movie as did their parents.  As a bonus, the theater recently installed large comfortable recliners for seating, and I took full advantage.

We finally made it to the lake on day two for some fishing.  A friend permitted us to use her dock and we jumped on it.  No one caught fish, but any day spent relaxing on the lake is a good one.

Although neither of our children lives in Tennessee, we do have a large number of family members nearby and when a child comes home for a visit, someone usually organizes a family gathering. Helen got the word out as soon as we knew the dates for this visit, and we ended up with 29 people for barbeque and potluck side dishes. I prepared two large pork shoulders for the meal and my granddaughter helped me by injecting the marinade into both of them.

She did well. The meal was outstanding, and it was great to see everyone. My mother, the children’s great-grandmother came and had a wonderful time.  At 91, she is something else. Mom still drives and is very self-sufficient.  She and the children worked on Helen’s latest puzzle together.

On day four, Justin finally got his wish and we drove to Abrams Creek Campground, inside the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Our purpose was not camping, we were going to fish, swim, and hike. The weather was perfect–warm with no humidity, and Abrams Creek was flowing well after recent rains. School is in session in Tennessee, so the campground was only half full and we pulled into a campsite next to the creek for a picnic.

I love this campground.  In my youth, I camped here often as a member of the Boy Scouts. When our children were little, Helen and I took them here on their first camping trip and returned often. There is a deep pool near our parking spot that is perfect for swimming and the grandchildren took advantage while their Dad tried his luck at fishing. I started out wading, but soon had to join in and took a dip in the cool, clear water.

We lingered long in the campground because no one wanted to leave. The children found a log that crossed the entire creek and sat on it while watching small trout swim below their feet. I enjoyed being back at this favorite place.  My last visit was probably 35 years ago on our last camping trip here. We chose to camp in Cherokee National Forest, the subject of last week’s post, as the children grew older and never returned to Abrams Creek. The campground is for tent camping only, so our Lucy would not do well here in the smaller campsites.  Nevertheless, Abrams Creek is a wonderful place for a family outing.

Time waits for no one, and the time to return to California came early the next morning. Everyone was up at 4:00 am for the trip to the airport.  The children were surprisingly alert for such an early hour.  Their grandfather was a bit sluggish.  Coffee helped.

With the car unloaded at the airport, everyone said their goodbyes and exchanged big hugs. Helen and I watched as the four of them walked through the doors and into the terminal. I had hoped to pump the brakes on their visit and spend it just Easin’ Along, but, five short days were just that…all too short.