Work, rest and the return…..? (Part One)

Well it was a very busy three weeks, the trip to Cincy was exciting and very busy. We left on Wednesday with all of our luggage, tools, and Kimber in tow. We arrived at the Airport with no excitement, parked the car at the lot and hopped the shuttle. We arrived in plenty of time after going through Security we stopped off at the bookstore to grab a novel so I would have something to read on the plane. When we got to the gate we sat down and waited maybe 15 minutes before they were calling our flight. As we boarded the plane, which was about 1/3 full, we all strapped in watched the safety briefing and we were on our way. The flight was very smooth and uneventful and we arrived in Cincy on time. We got off the plane and headed to get our bags, well at least we thought so. Since we had never been in Cincy before we followed the signs, right, well not really. After we had walked the full length of the runway to Terminal B we realized that Baggage claim was in the opposite direction. So we stopped for a potty break and then headed back the way we came. Since it was such a long walk, we opted to take the Train back. Sure enough we had walked right past the Baggage area. You feel kinda like you were a little foolish but I always follow the Baggage claim signs and must have missed it.

We collected our luggage which was coming off as we arrived and headed for the Avis bus. It was a short 5 minute ride but check-in took a little longer. We finally got our paperwork and waited outside for them to bring the vehicle around. It turned out there were two of the same Grand Prix and the guy in front of us got ours so they figured it all out and we were on our way to see Christopher. I had gotten Diane a GPS for Christmas and she just loves it, so she plugged “Mandy” in and she was instructing us how to get to our destination. Let me tell you if you don’t have a GPS it is well worth the investment. About 15 minutes later we were in downtown Cincy parking across the street from Christopher’s office. As we exited the car he was waiting across the street for us. He took us on the nickel tour of his fine establishment and then we headed to a rendezvous with Karen for lunch. The place was about two blocks from his office so we walked and arrived at a small Sports Bar which was serving Homemade Meatloaf for lunch. Karen arrived about 10 minutes later and the food had just gotten there.

Lunch was delicious and it was time to head out so we walked Karen back back to the car, she had to go back to work but Christopher had taken the rest of the day off and rode with us to his house. Once we arrived he gave us the grand tour of the house and showed us all the opportunities for the week. The house is one hundred and thirteen years old so you can imagine what lay ahead of us. We started planning on what needed to happen first or should I say what we wanted to tackle. We carried our things upstairs to the Penthouse where we would all be staying and unpacked our things and got our living accommodations in order. After we all loaded up in the Grand Prix and headed to the Depot and Meier a Wal-Mart like store. We picked up some necessary supplies and headed back to the house. Once we got there I started looking at the electrical situation and Diane and Kimber started taping the base boards and preparing things to paint. We determined what was what and where some things were going, and it was time for dinner. Tomorrow we would start getting things in order.

So the next day, I started pulling plugs out of the wall to try and figure out why the power to the Penthouse was not working. The first plug I pulled I found the culprit, there were burned wires in the outlet box. As I reviewed Christopher’s electrical map that he and Karen had made for me, I found a lot of plugs and lights on one circuit. Meanwhile Diane and Kimber began painting the Office upstairs. There were a lot of bad places in the plaster that had to be scrapped so that new could be installed before they painted. Three of the walls were doable so they started on those. By lunch time they had two of the three walls painted and I had made some more headway in finding wires. When Christopher and Karen got home we worked till around 9:30 or so and then retired for bed. Christopher took Friday off so we could try and get as much electrical identified and get what was required to replace and repair. We took another drive to the Depot and picked up a new panel, breakers, Romex, and other items we would need.

We worked diligently through the weekend, and after dropping Josh and Cassie off at the Airport on Sunday we accomplished a lot. The Parlor was finished with paint and new curtains, the Office was painted with exception to the outside wall which needed some plaster work, and the Hall was completed with paint. Christopher and I replaced the panel and the rest of the cables and were almost finished by the time we needed to leave for the Airport. Unfortunately not completely finished so I made an executive decision to delay our flight a day and Diane and Karen dropped Kimber off at the Airport for her flight home. Josh and Cassie graciously offered to pick her up so we could have the car when we returned the next day. On the way back from the Airport, the girls stopped by and picked up some great barbecue. When dinner was over we headed back to get as much as we could get completed because we had only about 5 hours on Wednesday before we had to be at the Airport.

So Wednesday was a flurry, we got up early, saw Christopher and Karen off and said our goodbyes once again. Diane set herself to strip the beds, straighten up the house, wash clothes, kept me in coffee, and even baked the kids some cookies, while I struggled to get everything else completed with the electrical. By about 1:00 I was finished had everything packed up and we headed to the Airport. Unfortunately we didn’t make it before the flight was loading so they booked us for the next flight. We decided to check our bags in early and find some food. As we rode the train to Terminal B we discussed the week’s events and were pleased with what we had accomplished. We feasted on Outback burgers and a salad and just relaxed since we had about two hours to kill. Did a little shopping and of course stopped by Starbucks and grabbed a quick coffee and headed to the gate. We waited about 30 minutes and the flight was on time. We boarded the plane and two and a half hours later we were back in Houston.

The rest of the time home was a flurry of activity. Candy and Griff threw a heck of a couples shower for Josh and Cassie at their house, Diane had to go back to work and on Tuesday we headed to the Moody Gardens Aquarium with the FBC Preschool. I had to get items to take back to Saudi, get fitted for a Tux for Josh and Cassie’s wedding, pay for labor and pad to replace bad carpet, and of course spend time with my lovely wife. As the end of rotation was here, Josh and
Cassie met us at The Deluxe Cafe for dinner with Bob and Dee Dee for her birthday and their anniversary. Afterward they took them back to their hotel and we stopped by Josh’s to pick them up and take them home with us as they were going to the Airport to drop me off. We made it home around 10’ish and all headed off to bed. The next day I got up and took the Passat to Discount to get a slow leak fixed. It took more time than I wanted and ended up with a new tire which was fine because Diane would be driving the VW while her car was being repaired. I made it home around 11 and tried to finish up all that I wanted to get finished and of course finish packing and grab a shower before the trip. By 1:30 we were in the car headed to meet Kimber for lunch at Lupe Tortillas. We all enjoyed the quick lunch and conversation before I had to say goodbye to Kimber. We had decided that on our way to the Airport, we would stop by and see the house that Josh and Cassie had made an offer for. They had found it in a subdivision close to Intercontinental called Falls Creek. It is a lovely house with lots of room and only a couple of years old.

As we hopped in the car to head to the Airport, I called mom and talked with her a little and caught up on the Cincy trip and the happenings in Abilene with the fam. Traffic was light so we made great time getting to the Airport. We unloaded and headed to check-in and the lines were short and we had about an hour and some change to spare. After a few minutes I told them they might as well go there was no point in them waiting I would just go chill and read my book. So we said our tearful goodbyes and they watched as went through security. One last wave and a blown kiss and I headed towards the gate and eventually my final destination? Yeah I don’t think so but that is for the next installment……