We have spent the last three days in Piedmont SC with our oldest son Gabe and we have had a great time. We didn't do much other than watch the Masters Golf Tournament and go out to an awesome restaurant on Saturday night. We just had a super time being with him and hearing about his life and that he is so happy here just outside of Greenville SC. One thing about South Carolina is you kind of get the change of the four seasons without getting the extremes you experience in the north or the south. The three days we have been here have been absolutely perfect. Temperatures have been in the mid 70's with a slight breeze which for us is about as good as it gets. Yesterday Gabe brought his two dogs out to our rv park (I'm not sure where he gets his love for dogs, ha ha). He has a big Doberman Pincher who is the nice dog and another big dog of mixed breed who's name is Lilly who I affectionately named Meaney. The reason I named her Meaney is because she would eat my little Sydney if I let her out around her. So while Gabe's dogs were here my little perfect angel was not allowed outside around them. I was willing to see what happened but my son said it wouldn't be pretty and please don't let her out around Lilly aka Meaney. After hearing that I agreed I would leave her inside. While his dogs were here he and Huli took them down to the pond where they went swimming. The Doberman, who's name is Dutchess , doesn't like to swim but Lilly made up for it.
We loved seeing Gabe but hated to say goodbye. I thought when my kids were younger that once they got out of high school they would be on their own and I wouldn't worry about them anymore. Well Gabe will be forty later this year and I still see him as my little boy. When he hurts or has something bad going on in his life it hurts his mother and I but about a hundred times more. For us we would have like to tell him to tell us only the good things going on in his life and not the struggles that he might be experiencing but that wouldn't be right being his parents. We have always told our sons to come to us whenever they need to regardless of the circumstances. However, coming to us with the good news is much, much, much, better and hurts us less. When I was young and married at 18 I never told my parents any of the bad stuff that was happening in my life. I always asked myself if they could help with my problem if I told them and if the answer was no I didn't tell them. Consequently they didn't know shit about what was going on in my life until many years later when we all laughed about it.
Tomorrow we leave Greenville SC and head toward Warsaw. The current plan is to drive about six hours which should get us to Crittenden KY just below Cincinnati Oh. That would leave us about a four hour drive to get home in Warsaw.
A journal written about life, retirement and our journey throughout the United States in a 5th wheel, along with our two Shih Tzus, Tanner and Syndey. Written not for notoriety but for our sons, family and friends, so they know where we are at any given time. And particularly for ourselves. Finally, we get to slow down and smell the roses and we don't want to forget any of it. You are welcome to join us as we go 'Down the Road a Piece'.
