Visit to Grandma & Grandpa's

Anna with the Cats
 Anna made her annual summer visit to Grandma & Grandpa's house on July 23-26.  Cousin Aidyn was also there for the duration.  Anna flew into Dayton, where her grandparents picked her up.  Shortly thereafter, Grandma and Grandpa found themselves in the back of the van with Anna driving and Aidyn riding shotgun (it is unknown if they watched cartoons, but it is likely that Grandpa fell asleep).

There was sad news on Tuesday night when they found out that their long-time neighbor and friend, Linda Dangler, passed away.  Linda lived right next door and was a frequent visitor to the front porch.  She and the grandparents always looked out for each other.  She was a great friend and will be missed.

Anna and Aidyn were able to distract their grandparents a bit during the visit.  While there do not seem to be many photos from this trip (this is the summer of no photos), there were lots of activities, including:

  • A trip to Shipshewana, Indiana - Anna joined Grandma and her friend Virginia for a day trip to this Indiana town in Amish country known for its HUGE flea market and unique shopping venues.  The day started at 7 AM with a breakfast stop at Cracker Barrel before a full day of shopping.  Anna had a great time and brought home some unique goodies.
  • A visit to the cat shelter - Grandma, Aidyn & Anna visited a local cat rescue that specializes in special needs cats.  They had a good time playing with the cats (Anna had one with no back legs that decided she was his person).  
  • Driving Grandpa's convertible - Grandpa handed Anna the keys and let her drive around by herself - with the top down of course.
  • Driving Great Grandpa's truck - At long last, Grandpa gave Anna lessons on how to drive a stick shift using a 1965 dodge truck.  While she is not confident in her shifting abilities yet, she may be able to do it in an emergency.
  • Making Zucchini Bread - The zucchini harvest is coming in, which means Grandma is producing volumes of bread.  At last count, there were 11 loaves in the freezer from last year and another 20 loaves (?) she has made so far.  What will she do with all of the zucchini bread?  Good question
  • Putting together Grandma's new walker - Anna assembled the new 3-wheeler for Grandma.

It was a nice getaway for Anna.  A big thanks to Grandma & Grandpa for a fun week.  Enjoy the zucchini bread!



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