It was a dreary morning in our little neck of Midwest Appalachia. Nothing really special, just a chill and few more leaf’s on the ground. I just wanted my first cup of coffee and a few minutes to wake up.
I can hear my daughter on the pone with the airline. I could tell she was frustrated. But I can hear the grand baby cooing and jabbering. I just want to grab the baby and go sit on the deck and see the early morning sky. I quietly go in get the baby.
My husband has headed off to work so it is just us 3 and the dogs. The dogs adore the baby. Wherever the baby was, you can bet they were too. Especially the big one, who specialized in drive-by-licks.
The four of us headed outside. Baby wrapped up snugly, pups out running wild. Coffee in one hand, baby securely in the other. And the dreary morning breaking around us. It was more than I could have hoped for in any lifetime.
We set like that for a while. The baby loved watching the slow crawl of country life. I was just soaking up the moment. Those were the last few minutes of peace I had.
I remember it clearly. We were sitting outside when my daughter came out clearly upset. Their flight had been canceled. All flights had been grounded for the next week.
Like a trash can to the face it hit me. They were going to have to drive back with me.
Oh no, no, no, I couldn’t do a long drive with them. Not only that we needed more baby supplies for the longer stay and now the drive.
Armed with a very detailed list of supplies from my daughter I headed to Walmart. The number of choices in diapers along almost caused a small meltdown. But I powered through.
We were ready as we could be for the extended stay. Family came and went, while I tried to pack. No, I wasn’t exactly productive at this point unless adding songs to the playlist counts.
Deep down, I already knew they would be riding back with me once the hurricane passed. I hated the idea. But I figured the grand baby would get a great lesson on what good music sounded like.
I knew it was time to broach the subject of driving back together once the hurricane passed. Thankfully, my daughter came to the same realization about the same time I did.
We were still holding out hope for flights, but we also knew it was time to start planning. And I knew I was going to have to drastically cut back on what I was taking with me.
Neither of us was thrilled about driving together. I am a very sing out loud to the song person. My daughter not so much.
After another day of watching Hurricane Milton churn, we knew the ugly truth. We would be going back together.
It wasn’t the plan. But when does life ever care about the plans?
I wasn’t happy about it. But I also knew they would be safer driving with me than anything else. I just hoped all the roads would be open by the weekend and the hurricane gone. So we wouldn’t have to touch anything that wasn’t a freeway.
The baby had spent the week watching “Hey Bear” with the dogs and the bouncy music in the back ground. I wasn’t much of a fan. But hey would could you do. I called it veggie techno. This will be extremely important later.
Finally, it was time to start packing. My packing had turned into deciding which clothes to take. And which things I absolutely couldn’t live without. Half the vehicle space was now occupied by a baby’s car seat. And of course my daughter in the front seat. Not lot of room for my stuff. But honestly, theirs was more important.
My husband had packed their stuff in now it was time for me to pack. Like I said not a lot of room. Of course my clothing then a few books (a lot.) My cooler and coffee pot and my golf clubs and my favorite Yeti cups. These were the things I couldn’t go without.
They sound like a random list, but to me these were essential. For what I was headed to do, they were all nonnegotiable. I am a writer after all.
My husband did everything he could to get my stuff in there, but it just wasn’t happening. Some things were just going to have to wait.
After many negotiations with my husband and my daughter mainly over the golf clubs. My husband pointed out that my game was terrible. I couldn’t argue with that.
So I left the golf clubs and cooler behind. He did manage to make room for my Dutch oven thankfully. Also nonnegotiable as well.
At dawn we ride!
We said our good byes to grandpa, pups and golf clubs. I hooked up the phone to the car. Said a prayer, hit play on the music. And just like that 3 generations of crazy rode into the sunrise.
The day was to be warm and clear. We were set. The first 30 minutes were good . We were laughing and happy to be on our way.
It was the next 15 hours that weren’t….
Thanks for making it to the end! The final part next week!
