Great Wolf Lodge

This past weekend I drove about 470 miles to and 470 miles from Cincinnati OH to spend the weekend with Alicia and Caroline (my two nieces) and Janet (my sister-in-law) as well as Austin and Aiden (great nephews) and Emily (newest great niece). Alicia and Caroline had invited me to spend the weekend with them at the Great Wolf Lodge in Mason, OH (just outside Cincinnati).

It was a really nice weekend. It was so good seeing everyone and meeting Emily for the first time. I didn't get in the water but just enjoyed the time at "poolside" taking pictures and taking it easy.

The trip there was long; it rained the entire trip. I made quite a few stops as my back was hurting. I had planned to return Monday but the forecast changed from really nice weather on Saturday to predicted SNOW showers and snow in the West Virginia mountains Monday, so I returned home Sunday, also a beautiful day. I didn't relish the thought of traveling in the rain again. Although a nice day weather wise the trip back also was long.

My cousin Cynthia lives in Cincinnati and came to the Lodge Saturday afternoon to visit awhile. It was good seeing her as it had been several years.

Saturday night we went to the Outback for dinner ... goooood food.

The boys were active but well behaved the entire weekend.

Sunday morning on my way out of Cincinnati I phoned some friends (Rita and Jim) I had met in St. Louis back in 1974 who since have moved to Cincinnati. They befriended me in a way I will never forget. Cecil and I divorced in June 1975 and I left St. Louis. Rita and Jim were our neighbors in the apartment building we lived in but had purchased a home and moved out of the apartments. I phoned Rita to let her know I was leaving St. Louis. About a week after returning to Charlottesville I received an envelope from them with a check for $500 (this was 1974!) and a note saying they knew I didn't have anything and wanted to help, that if I was ever able to repay that would be fine but not to worry about it. Some years ago I sent them a check for $300. When I retired in December I received a lump sum in addition to my monthly retirement check so finally had some extra money and wanted to repay them the remaining $200 and tell them what a blessing they had been to me at a difficult time. Rita and I both cried.

The weekend was a very nice one.