Finally! A Visit to the USofA

 Finally. It's been two years, a two very long years of not seeing and touching people I love.  Finally, we were able to go. Not without a few hurdles, though. Yow.

Of course there's the usual stuff - setting dates, booking a flight, getting a visa for Werner, finding seats, renting a car - none of which is as easy as it sounds or as easy as it used to be.  I'm not sure if that is because we're getting older or because it really is getting a bit trickier, but I'm going with the latter. (And a bit of the former too?)

Hey, when's the last time you had to show your marriage license in order to fly to another country?  Because the borders had not yet been opened to European citizens since the pandemic, Werner had to prove he was married to a US citizen in order to get on the plane. Note to self: Save all your important documents. Get certified copies. 

We've been fully vaccinated but we not only had to prove that, but we had to get a quick test as well. I am OK with all of these regs, but it does take a bit more time and effort. 

Finally, so it was.  We got on the plane, we had to show all the papers we brought at one time or another, and we landed in Orlando and got our car and made it to Lee and Crissy's.  Yea!!

Finally. Hugs with real people. It is hard to describe.  It is at once like I have never been gone and everything is immediate and the past is forgotten. I'm so happy to be where I am and the sorrow of not being there has gone poof. That's a good thing.

So, back in the USofA. Catch up!  The grandkids have changed so much.  

Dylan is a young woman.  

Hayden has grown, too.

Lee works a lot and Crissy is working more, doing a regular paying job as well as a bit of on-the-side cooking that developed during the lock down. Not everyone loves cooking the way we do, and some of those folks found that Crissy does!  

The weather was for the most part wonderful, but on Friday, when we hoped to watch Dylan perform with the marching band at her high school, it rained ALL DAY LONG and finally the whole event was cancelled.  So sad!  

But Saturday, we were off to Tallahassee (without Dylan since she had to perform for her Performing Arts grade) and the tailgate with the PC part of the family - plus friends.  Of course it's fun, but more, it's so satisfying to just hang around with family, eat some food, enjoy the weather, and just be there.  What a great time. 

Because we still feel a bit vulnerable, Werner and I decided to skip the stadium event and headed off to PC to settle in before Michelle and Joey got home from the game. Just as well - FSU lost!

What a week in PC!  We visited Hannah and Harrison in their new home (why don't I have pictures???).  Wow.  Ample room for two young folks and two cats and a yard bigger than they want. 

Even Hunter is getting into the home-owner set and hopes to move into his new digs early in 2022.  Wow. 

There was one beach day, and we picked the right one! Lots of sunshine and such lovely temps.  Lunch at Pineapple Willy's was an extra treat though the beach renewal project was a surprise! So many machines on that pristine sand!

We got in a few of our "wish list" foods - bar food at The History Class, seafood at Capt. Anderson's and steaks at home. If you asked me, I'd have to choose those steaks. Sooo very yummy.  Next day's breakfast was a steak sandwich!

Painting!  We did some holiday decorations, we girls.

There were a couple of projects to do - covers for the ottomans, a replacement ornament for Hunter since it didn't "match" Hannah's (note to self: be careful with future ornaments!), and replacing the slides for a kitchen drawer.  Might not sound like much, but it kept us busy.

Hunter's been busy with his wood-working projects and we got to bring a few goodies home.

Michelle and Joey had been to Charleston some weeks before and she found a needlepoint shop and my project for next Christmas. 

And then one more tailgate

...  then back to Orlando after a short visit with Paul in Tallahassee.  (Why don't I have a picture of that?) Unfortunately, Nancy wasn't up for a visit because Minnie was ill; fortunately she got through it!  We'll have more time next visit.

More projects to finish!! The pillows were still not done, so out again with the sewing machine. But there was time to watch Dylan at baton practice, eat even more good food, do a little bit of necessary shopping.  Pecans.  Corn meal. Key lime juice.  It's pretty international here in our Germany, but some stuff is really local to the US, so imports are important!

And then before you know it, it's over.  So many hugs and so much looking forward to our next trip to see Hannah and Harrison get married in March and have a fun fun time at their wedding.  

It can't come soon enough.