REWIND V – ARE WE THERE YET?

April/May, 2021

Our rewind journey is nearly complete. Apologies for the repeat, but it’s 270 miles from Nashville to son Spencer’s home in Indiana, 150 miles or so from there to daughter Elyssa’s in Ohio, and then 470 miles to visit with son Graham and family in Virginia .

What was that goal in the first place? To spend time in person with family, hug grandchildren, and fill up a void sorely depleted by estrangement for 18 months. And here we were within a brief time to fulfill that desire we so longingly pursued.

How excited we were to set-up camp in Indiana, and spend some time with granddaughter Kyra Grace, son Spencer, and daughter-in-law Evangeline. We had a joyous reunion and our week together hanging out and, well, just being family literally flew by in a heartbeat.

Think Kyra was excited?

There are not many decent campground choices in or near their home city, but we found a Jellystone Park close enough for Kyra to spend a lot of time with us in the park.

Jellystone Parks are set-up for kids and families, and use the Hanna Barbera cartoon characters Yogi Bear, his pal Boo-Boo and girlfriend Cindy Bear to create a theme inside the campground.

There’s more than corn in Indiana!

After a week it was time to mosey on into Ohio for some quality time with Elyssa, Ben, Maggie and Penny.

LOL’s, playing table games, making art, trips to the playground, watching skating, eating Bootleg Bagels, having lunch with Elyssa at work, reading at bedtime, riding bikes and taking walks in the neighborhood, Maggie sleeping over and chocolate chip pancakes, playing (and winning) candy bar bingo, and making egg crate animals. Time passing far too quickly.

Penelope Rose…

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Maggie Elizabeth…

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Sisters…

Last year we were so very disappointed to not be with Maggie to celebrate her 9th birthday – it was the first time we were not there when she blew out her candles. Making the best out of a bad situation we held a “zoom party” with her choice, The Hunger Games, as a theme. Everyone dressed up, birthday girl Maggie as Katniss of course, and we did our best to make the day special. Maggie made sure to remind us a couple of times during the past year that we were not in Ohio for her 9th birthday. It was a priority for us to be there this year.

And make it we did…mindcraft posters, streamers and banners hung, and what seemed like a hundred blown-up balloons later the party was on! We had a blast playing with her water propelled rocket and skateboard! Her new camera would add to her creative artistic side, but her first iPhone was the gift she was hoping for all year.

As one of her birthday wishes, Maggie wanted all of us to go to the Columbus Zoo, which was developed by Jack Hanna. It got a little warm as the day wore on, but we had a terrific time seeing newborns as well as some of the more popular animals throughout the zoo. Penny especially loved the giraffes.

Wonder what Atlas Obscura might have for us while hanging out with Maggie and Penny? The Hartman Rock Garden didn’t let us down one iota. The display was completed between 1932 and 1944, and is located in the backyard of a private residence. Following Ben Hartman’s death in 1944, his wife maintained the garden as long as she was alive – eventually the property fell into disrepair. Friends of The Hartman Rock Garden was formed to repair, renovate, and restore Ben’s vision. The Garden reopened in 2010, and it is open to the public.

“If you’re going to build a rock garden — and Hartman Rock Garden contains over 100,000 rocks — then you need to get the rocks from somewhere. Fortunately for Harry George “Ben” Hartman (1883-1944) his home was only a few hundred yards from an apparently inexhaustible supply, in a shallow creek bed with everything from wall-worthy slabs to water rounded pebbles.” 

We felt it was a short 6-7 hours traveling from Ohio to Virginia, after all we’d get a chance to spend time with granddaughter Rowan Maeve!

Ro was maybe 3 months old when we were last together having helped move Graham and Leigh from San Diego into their new home in Virginia. The baby is now a very active toddler. We were able to take a nice hike in the woods, a couple of walks around the neighborhood, and just become reacquainted as only grandparents and grandchildren can…we even convinced Graham and Leigh to let us babysit and for them to have their first date night since Ro was born!

As our visits with each family came to a close we realized what a toll the time apart had taken on each of us. There is nothing quite as renewing to one’s soul as hugging your grandchildren and children, and making new memories as a family. To be denied that togetherness is to be denied great joy – we felt so very incomplete during the estrangement caused by covid-19.

Our children are adults with families, careers, and households of their own. Our past visits have not been all that close together, but we could have some spontaneity (Brian would just happen to be in the neighborhood on business!) in addition to the usual birthdays and holidays gatherings. There’s a balance between overstaying one’s welcome and the joy of togetherness.

Arriving brought happy tears to our eyes. Leaving was bittersweet knowing that for awhile, yet again, facetime, skype and messenger would keep us “face-to-face,” with whenever phone calls/texts/e-mail to keep us close.

We did not despair – we had the best time, and it was everything we could have ever wanted.

So to answer the question we posed (what 4 or 5 posts ago?) regarding how far this rewind took us…miles and days never really mattered, time behind the wheel and places we stopped (Austin being the exception) really didn’t matter, and, for the most part, while the sites and sights were exceptional the distance really never mattered. Family really, really was all that mattered!

As we are always with them in their hearts and souls they are always with us.

Barbara and Brian

“It’s not what you look at that matters, it’s what you see.“ – Henry David Thoreau