Short Version;We didn't leave for Florida at 4:00 a.m. this morning because of car trouble.
The Rest of the Story.... there are 3 factors in this story - car problems, late Christmas gifts, and a Celebration of Life
1. When Gary took a load of gifts down to the car to start it and put on the heater Christmas morning, the battery was dead. He had a battery booster in his truck and got the battery charged. He had brought his suitcase into the apartment ready to go Monday morning. So, we had planned to drop his truck off at his "office" and we'd be all set to go to Krista's.
1. When Gary took a load of gifts down to the car to start it and put on the heater Christmas morning, the battery was dead. He had a battery booster in his truck and got the battery charged. He had brought his suitcase into the apartment ready to go Monday morning. So, we had planned to drop his truck off at his "office" and we'd be all set to go to Krista's.
Oh, I
forgot to mention, the tailgate on the car would NOT go up so we put the
gifts into the back seat. When I got in to follow him, there was a
terrible beeping noise every time I stopped that lasted 45 seconds.
When it got dark, the automatic dimmers didn't work - another electrical
type problem.
He
decided to put my car onto a charger while we were at Krista's. We went
to her house where we had a wonderful Christmas breakfast, opened
gifts, and started a jigsaw puzzle. We came back to the apartment so I could toss the broccoli ramen salad and we could go to have supper with family friends, Doris Whitmore, Natalie, Brian, Adam, and Sam Bass. .
This morning, Monday morning, we were greatly relieved that the Subaru dealer was open. AAA had just put a new battery in about 6 months ago but we're hoping that a replacement with a better battery will cure all.
This morning, Monday morning, we were greatly relieved that the Subaru dealer was open. AAA had just put a new battery in about 6 months ago but we're hoping that a replacement with a better battery will cure all.
2. We
are going to a New Year's party in Florida around the theme Tropical
Paradise. Gary had no appropriate shirts so I ordered him 2 Hawaiian shirts
for Christmas and he could wear one of them for the party. (Yes, he's
getting wild and crazy in his old age!) Well, the shirts didn't arrive
and if we left for Florida and the shirts were forwarded they might not
get there in time.
3. Our
dear friend, Galen Shank, died on December 23. So, we figured if we had
to wait to get the car fixed and wait for the shirts, we should wait
one more day and go to Galen's funeral on Wednesday. He was a VERY special friend who was loved by all. I knew him from years ago because he used to rent Mother's farm.
We had Galen and Susie in to eat with us in our retirement community, VMRC a few weeks ago. He was pretty good that evening except for weakness so we drove around to the next building to our restaurant to avoid walking. It was an especially enjoyable evening - times were always special with Galen and Susie. At that point he hadn't gotten that final news from UVA that his leukemia had worsened and his time was short. He died on Christmas eve eve (the 23rd).
We had Galen and Susie in to eat with us in our retirement community, VMRC a few weeks ago. He was pretty good that evening except for weakness so we drove around to the next building to our restaurant to avoid walking. It was an especially enjoyable evening - times were always special with Galen and Susie. At that point he hadn't gotten that final news from UVA that his leukemia had worsened and his time was short. He died on Christmas eve eve (the 23rd).
Beautiful tribute written by a neighbor on her blog: https://paradisemtnmusings.com/2022/12/23/go-rest-high-on-that-mountain/
NEW PLAN
We
will leave on Thursday morning at 4:00 a.m. with a car that runs
properly, a memory of a special life well celebrated, and with tropical
shirts in hand ready to bring in 2023.
