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| A visit to Ohio |
August has been a month to get out and about (and we are hoping things don't go crazy with the latest COVID variant so we can continue to get out and about). Joe and Theresa joined Anna for a long weekend in Ohio to visit Grandma & Grandpa. This was their first flight since the pandemic and it was packed with no seats to spare. There have been many changes to flying, including the reduction in routes. Since Southwest no longer has a direct flight between Reagan and Columbus (a favorite route), thus the family had to go to Baltimore to get a direct flight. The tone of flying has also changed. Gone are the days of friendly customer service. Now the focus is on compliance - as in keep your mask on or you are not getting on the plane. After reading so many stories about unruly passengers not complying with mask mandates, it was a relief to get to he destination without incident. Joe & Theresa managed to secure a rental car (also not an easy feat these days thanks to the rental car shortage) and headed to Paulding for a relaxing weekend.
The highlight of the week for Anna was the driving time with Grandpa who took her to the local fairgrounds to let her practice her skills. By the time her parents arrived, Anna had mastered backing up and maneuvering. Next year she will have her learner's permit and be ready to hit the road in Grandpa's convertible. In between driving, the family enjoyed bike rides, shopping, and lots of good food.
The trip home to Virginia was a long one thanks to severe weather on the east coast. There was a 4 hour flight delay (Theresa was happy for the delay as opposed to flying in thunderstorms). The plus side was the plane went from completely full to lots of empty seats as many passengers had to be rerouted as they were going to miss connecting flights in Baltimore. The family arrived home to find there had been a power outage and lots of wind damage in the area. Storm, who stayed with the neighbors, was excited to see everyone and trotted home.
While Anna was in Ohio and prior to joining her, Joe, Theresa & Storm spent 5 days on the Northern Neck of Virginia with a lovely place on the Chesapeake. They enjoyed kayaking, paddle boarding, lots of wildlife, and great seafood along with some historic sites during the week. Since there was no wifi (and limited cell service) it was a great way to unplug (Anna would not have been thrilled to go on this trip). In short, everyone enjoyed their getaways. A big thanks to Grandma and Grandpa for a fun week!
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| View from the Northern Neck |
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| Storm is packed and ready |
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