Seneca High School Reunion

Several classes of Richard’s high school joined forces to have a reunion this past weekend.  So on Thursday night we headed down to South Carolina and, in typical Richard fashion, crammed as much as humanly possible into this 3 day weekend.

First on our agenda was a training hike up Mt. Mitchell just outside of Asheville, NC.  When we checked into our hotel Thursday night we were told that the complementary breakfast began at 7:00 am.  I was a little disappointed that we would probably be on the road before then.  I just hate leaving free food on the table.  I did want to get the coffee ready for our early morning but quickly noticed that while we had a coffee maker, we didn’t have a pot.  Just as I was heading out the door to the front desk, Richard informed me that it was one of those fancy coffee makers that you put the cup underneath the maker.  Well I’m glad Richard saved me that embarrassment.

I didn’t set an alarm for Friday morning because I had Richard.  I guess that he must have been broken, because we didn’t get up until 8:00 am.  Needless to say we did get to enjoy that free breakfast after all.  By the time we reached the Black Mountain Campground, where our trail head was, it was already 10:30 am.  There have been days where we have finished hikes by that time.

Richard picked this most difficult hike

Our hike today would be 5.6 miles of up and then 5.6 miles of down.  A really good training hike for our Grand Canyon trip this September.  We were having a great day of hiking until we were about 1 mile from the top and a front moved in.  One with rain and thunder.  I was O.K. with the rain, but the thunder was a different story.  I still have this illusion that my 21 & 18-year-old sons need me, so I asked Richard if we could turn around.  I told him that we still had a good training hike even if we didn’t make it to the very top.  He quickly agreed saying something about being caught on top of this same mountain after a bike ride and that he didn’t need to do that again.  So we start scampering down the trail as fast as 50+ year-old knees will descend.  The thunder never let up but fortunately the rain was not that heavy so we made pretty good time.  Until we were about 1 mile from the car.  And then the bottom fell out.  The water was up to our ankles on the trail for the last half hour of our hike.  Of course when we get back to the car – my new car – we have no towels to dry off with, or to protect the seats with or to put our nasty shoes and clothes on.  I did have a plastic Kroger bag in my car that we loaded up our dry clothes into and ran to the restroom to change clothes.  We cleaned off all the mud with our wet clothes and had to put on the dry ones without being exactly dry. 

By the time we get back to civilization it is 4:30 and we are starved.  We had packed a picnic lunch to eat at the top, but when that front blew in, it ruined any chance we had of enjoying a picnic.  I wanted some meat.  Like BBQ, Tex Mex or maybe a steak.  We stumbled upon a restaurant called Frankie Bones and decided to give it a try.  It was the best decision we make all day.  Maybe all weekend.  First we ordered a blind 3.  This is where the waiter brings you 3 wines to try, you pick your favorite & then they bring you a glass of the one you chose.  I ordered dry white while Richard order big red.  The waiter was keeping our bread basket full as we sampled our wines.  I chose a 2010 Pinot Grisio by Redwood Creek and I think Richard chose a Cabernet Sauvignon by J. Lohr.  For dinner Richard had tuna and I had a filet that absolutely melted in my mouth.  It was the best steak I have ever had except maybe for the one I had at Ye Old Steak House in Knoxville.  I know that I was so hungry that the table would have probably tasted good to me, but I still stand by my statement.  Although I wouldn’t be opposed to getting another data point when we are down in Asheville again.

By the time we finished up our fabulous dinner it was 6:45 and Richard told me that Diamond Brand Outfitters closed at 7:00, so no shopping for hiking boots tonight.  I told him that it was probably for the best anyway because I was too tired & too full to shop.  And besides my Mom once told me never to go shoe shopping after you have had alcohol to drink.  We arrived at Richards Mom’s house around 8:30 and some how stay awake for 1 1/2 hours before we fall into bed.

On Saturday morning we go out for breakfast with Richard’s uncle, Ralph.  Then go back to the house for yard work and lunch with his momma.  We showers and then we get to visit with his sister, Vandra, and then off to the reunion.

All cleaned up and some place to go!

We get checked in and mingle with the 6 classes of Seneca High School gathered tonight and I can’t help but think that Richard has aged really well.  Later in the evening I realized that sometimes Richard “recognizes” people he doesn’t even know.  After some time reconnecting with old classmates we headed into the ballroom to eat dinner.  Then they gave out the awards for the evening.  Richard didn’t win any.  And even though I’m highly competitive, I’m O.K. with that.  Here are a few that were handed out.

1. Youngest Father – I’m not sure this is something to be really excited about
2. Oldest Father – Really glad he didn’t win this one cause it would mean that we had a little one running around somewhere or else he has a mistress that I don’t know about
3. Most Marriages – Yep, they gave a trophy out for this one
4. Most Divorces – Whatever happened to award for the person coming the furthest distance?

After the awards ceremony it was time to dance and even though I love that 70’s dance music, I had some obstacles to overcome.

1. I haven’t danced in this decade – and maybe the last decade as well
2. My legs were really sore and tired from our hike yesterday
3. By the time we actually started dancing it was past my bed time

I think that everyone there had a nice time and I know Richard really enjoyed seeing his old classmates.

At 10 am on Sunday we say goodbye to Richard’s mom and head back to WV.  We decide to stop by Diamond Brand to look for our hiking shoes on the way home.  While we are waiting on the store to open at noon we head into an Ingles grocery store to grab a little bite to eat.  While we are in there I notice the wine that I selected at the restaurant Friday night.  The sign says $9.99.  Wow a bottle of wine I like for under $10.  Cool.  Then I notice the sign says 2 bottles for $9.99.  Now I’m thinking that Wow, I have cheap taste in wine.  As we load several bottles into our buggy I really don’t know if I’m really happy or I’m really bummed.

Then, of course, Richard makes me go to Camping World just in case some new RV gadget has been recently invented that we must have.  Surprisingly we left the store empty-handed.

Finally we make it to the sporting goods store and they don’t carry the shoes we are looking for.  I would say that all this time we invested into going to this store looking for a specific brand of hiking shoes was a bust, but we ended up buying lots of clothes and Richard 2 other pairs of hiking shoes and 6 pairs of hiking socks.

As we are driving home I’m seriously thinking of not letting Richard drive my car anymore.

1. He drove my car in the rain – if it’s raining I always drive someone else’s car
2. He drove my car on a gravel road
3. He sat in my car with dirty shoes on and wet clothes
4. He hit a plethora of bugs – I always dodge them when I’m driving
5. He let 2 kids on an overpass throw a plastic mug full of liquid at my car
   

   Richard needs more practice on the art of bug dodging

But on the other hand he did miss a bag of concrete dropped by a pickup truck in front of us and he didn’t get any “awards” for his driving this whole weekend.

Read Full Post »

Family Fun in Florida

# days of vacation for Richard, Rhonda & Alex – 11

# days of vacation for Tyler– 5

Tyler dropped us off at the Huntington airport.

# cities we visited – 5 (Orlando, Homestead, Key Largo, Key West & Ft. Lauderdale)

# theme parks – 2 (Universal Studios & Islands of Adventure)

# national parks – 1  (Everglades)

Getting ready to hit the theme parks

# hotels we stayed in – 5

# hostels we stayed in – 1

The very cool backyard of our hostel. To bad the mosquitoes thought so too.

# people in the Avis line who reserved a car from the wrong airport in Orlando– 5

# minutes Richard waited in line to pick up the keys to our car – 45

We were all excited about how much leg room Alex had on our flight!

# shows we saw at Universal’s City Walk – 1 (Blue Man Group)

# times Alex flung off his glasses while hitting a really big ball – 1

# times someone fell while climbing over the railing to look for the glasses – 1 (Richard)

# minutes Richard & Rhonda were on their hands and knees looking for the glasses – 4

# minutes Alex looked for his glasses – 0 (he can’t see anything without them)

# minutes till we found the glasses after a staff member with a flashlight helped us – .5

Hanging out at City Walk after the Blue Man Group Show

# rides & shows we did at Universal Studios – 11

# times we rode our favorite ride, Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit – 2

# times Rhonda actually remembers riding it – 1

# times Alex & Rhonda picked the same song to listen to – 1 (That’s the Way I like it)

# disaster movies Alex was selected to star in – 1 (I hear it will be a big hit this summer)

Life is like a box of chocolates

# rides & shows we did at Islands of Adventure – 12

# times we rode our favorite, Dragon Challenge – 5

# times we were sitting in the front row – 4 (it’s definitely worth the extra wait)

# Pumpkin juices drank @ the 3 Broomsticks – 1

# Butterbeers drank @ the 3 Broomsticks – 0

# times Alex was denied entry into I of A because his fingerprints didn’t match – 1

# hours of sleep Alex must have lost modifying his fingerprints the night before – 6

Welcome to Hogwarts

# people we saw at Universal Studios dressed entirely in black – 53

# people we saw dressed as Harry Potter, things or parrot heads – 312

Wastin away again in Margaritaville

# things we broke – 3 (hair dryer, brochure holder & door to the bathroom)

# things Richard fixed – 0 (he was on vacation after all)

O.K. so maybe Richard couldn’t resist just one quick look

# miles we mistakenly went west on I-4 to get to the Bass Pro Shop – 11

# miles we then went east on I-4 to get to the same Bass Pro Shop –  10

# total miles driven to find the Bass Pro Shop – 42

# miles the Bass Pro Shop was from our hotel – 2.38 (we didn’t even need to get on I-4)

Sunset at Mallory Square in Key West

# times we were upgraded to a 2 bedroom suite – 1

# things the hostel was short on – 6 (towels, wash cloths, flat sheets, coffee mugs, water glasses & bed length)

Alex had no room to spare on the top bunk

# alligators we saw at the Everglades– 1

# turtles – 1

# buzzards – 24

# mosquitoes – thousands

Unfortunately this was the most common wildlife sighting

# reefs we sailed to at Key West– 2

# sharks spotted while we were snorkeling – 1 (Richard)

# encounters with jelly fish – 2 (Tyler & Alex)

Heading out for the boys’ first snorkeling trip

# slices of Key Lime Pie consumed – 10

# chocolate covered key lime pie slices on a stick that we ate – 3

Dessert at Kermit’s

# roosters we saw roaming Key West– 37

# waiters we had that looked like a rooster – 1

# waiters hoping to move beyond the friend zone with Richard – 1 (same waiter above)

Powering up for a big day

# sights we saw in Key West– 6

# nights we watched the sun set – 2

Our last sunset in Key West

# people admitted to taking a nap on the plane home – 1 (Rhonda.  But that’s O.K. because I was getting rested up for…)

# days till Richard and Rhonda’s adventure “vacation” –  90

Read Full Post »