Whew ~ What a weekend

Early Friday morning my daughter called and had that tone in her voice -- you know the one. Mom, have I got a deal for you -- only this time she didn't say that. And that's a saying that gets used often in our family and when used, a BIG smile comes to my face. Anyway, she asked if I could watch the kids after school. I said no problem. Then she said Kevin, her husband, my son-in-law had been in an accident. SAY WHAT!!! I knew he had gone to TN on a business trip and asked if he was o.k., then I asked what had happened. He had a broken bone, I'm thinking maybe his arm or leg something sort or minor and that he was o.k..... he was alive.... hmmmmm I'm thinking. He's alive, I could hear the concern and worry in her voice.
Kevin and his brother were riding their motorcycles (they drove them to TN from PA) and Kevin hit some gravel on a sharp curve, skidded and went down--head first into a guard rail. The guard rail saved his life as the cliff was over a 500' drop. He broke his hip in two places and his ribs were badly bruised. Elizabeth, my daughter was going to fly to TN and help Eric (her brother-in-law) drive Kevin et al, back. The plan was to rent a van to carry Kevin and a trailer to carry the bikes. Of course, I didn't learn all this in that initial conversation but during the day, the call backs and calls from her sister-in-law. I tried calling Kevin on his cell phone but got his answering service. Bummer. Through these many back and forth calls, and I did manage to find which hospital he was in (hunted and searched on the www) I learned they would be leaving Saturday morning to drive back. Whew.
Annette walked over to my house after school, Jerod was staying with a friend and I picked up Nolan around 5ish from day care. During all this rush and fuss, Jerod picked up Nolan's clothes sooo Nolan had Jerod's. Had to drive Annette home where she got the proper outfits for a day or two and some more "items" of interest for herself. Her plans were to go to the church that night for "dinner and popcorn and pizza". A monthly event and she would be staying overnight with a friend after. So that left me and Nolan, the 5 year old. We had a great time. I think I was a 5 year old in my former life ;o) We watched Jurassic Park for probably the 20th time, I made popcorn and he could tell me what the actors were about to say for almost every scene -- he's just too much. A couple of times he had to sit close to Grandma but most of the time he was right on top of the TV screen.
Saturday comes and he helps me with some chores, watches some TV (he's not allowed to watch too much TV at home -- but I find it almost the perfect babysitter...) we colored and his pictures were put on the refrigerator and mine were put on the coffee table WHOA... We called his Mom and Dad who were en route to heading for home and I heard Nolan tell his Dad -- "I have everything under control" and gave him (Kevin) a thumbs up. I just love the way their minds work. Tom came over towards the end of Spy Kids (another favorite) and then we -- Tom and I had to make plans to pick up my brother at the Pittsburgh Airport. Ken (my brother) would be coming for a week long visit. I haven't seen him in almost 5 years as he lives in CA so with all that was going on my mind was in a whirl. More back and forth calling. Do I take Nolan with me to the airport... or should he be brought to the Jerod's friends house. The final decision (without winning any money) was to have Teena (Eric's wife) take him home and just wait until the TN 3 would be home. Tom and I had to leave by 10 p.m. and they, the TN 3 thought they would be back by 10:30 or 11 p.m. Close but no weo. So Teena came and got Nolan about 7:30 so he would be in bed by 8 and have a good nights rest. Sounds like a plan to me.
Tom and I get "things" ready, you know my just in case stuff. Medicine packed and in it's cooler with extra ice. Fill up my portable oxygen tank, take along a spare "just in case". The usual things I need when I walk out the door. I'm just glad we weren't going on a trip -- then imagine all the extras... Anyway, we load up the car and off we go. Stopped for gas "just in case" and hit the highway in style. It's take about an hour and a half to get to the airport from my house and there is always some kind of construction going on on I-79 so it was decided we would leave about 20 minutes early. We're heading down the highway and the moon is full, yet the sky is clear and there were large puffs of clouds here and there, the silhouette of the mountains on either side. It was an awesome site. The dark sky in the background, the man in the moon looking down on us; the bottom side of the clouds being dark... I don't ever remember seeing such a site. As my Mother would have said, "A site for sore eyes"... Something that make you go, whew... A Hallmark moment if you will. Tom and I chit chatted on the way down, something we don't usually do and the time just flew by. We got to the airport, not really too early but there was no construction going on so no hold ups. Now coming back may be a different story as we noticed there was more traffic heading north than south.
The plan was (via phone calls with my brother) that Tom and I would drive around the terminal until my brother came out. His plane was to arrive at 11:55 p.m. such a wonderful hour and we got there at 11:20... Oops, just a little bit of a wait. Now you have to realize that before 911 you could park on the berm of the road and watch the planes take off and land -- not any more, so we drive around and around and around. There is this one "stop" sign so I told Tom if no one is behind us, just 'stop' there until someone does come behind us... that worked only twice. Finally, the car ahead of us stopped so we had to stop, there was the Highway Patrol and local Police everywhere to make sure the traffic kept flowing. I asked this one lady who wasn't waiting with our previous drive by if she was coming in from Denver -- she said YES. Yippee, the plane was in on time. Down the ramp a way I saw this "guy" with a beard.... hmmmm.... so what the hay, I yelled out Ken and he waved back... We only drove around the terminal 5 times, that must be a record... Ken only had a carry on and one suitcase. We put those in the trunk and off we were, headed for home. That's when the fun began, I tell ya, brothers.... my oh my. We got home about 2 ish and we were in bed by 2:30 a.m.
I'll write about the visit but my fingers are getting wore out about now so: TO BE CONTINUED....