The patient and me

Friday morning I brought our German visitors to Richmond airport and had to say good-bye. The three weeks have gone so fast. It was unfortunate that some (of my initial) plans for their stay had to be scrapped due to James' accident but I really think we all had a good time together anyway.
I must say how proud I am of both of my daughters who dug up their German and did really great with their conversations. I had no idea they were THAT good.
But there was no time to dwell on being alone. It's Sarah's day off and she came for lunch. She left Caleb with us for a couple of hours because she had promised to visit a friend.

When Caleb got very tired I thought a little walk in the neighborhood would be good. It didn't take many steps until he was asleep. A neighbor took this photo with my phone.

I did have a chance to take a look at my flowers in the front.

While I had been on a walk with Caleb, our very good friends from church Betty and A.P. visited James. Visits are great because James is quite bored! They brought gifts which seem to be for the whole family. I am sure we will have more fun when William comes too.

Video: Caleb and the frog
Video: Caleb and the balloon

Sarah had to work on the weekend so we also had Caleb Saturday morning. Unfortunately I did a big boo boo. Wade had lunch with us (he even brought the sandwiches) and when I wanted to quickly retrieve my sewing machine from being serviced while James had company, I backed out of the garage and into Wade's car. I was very upset with myself but when I confessed to my son-in-law (after he had carried the ton of a sewing machine upstairs) he said in his usual calm way that it was not a big deal. Really? How quickly one can make a mistake.
Wade must have forgiven me because he even came with Caleb to church Sunday morning.

I was happy though to have my machine back and used it Saturday evening to try my luck with the Block Lotto sneak peek. This must be the most difficult BL I tried yet. I did try paper piecing for the first time on the rays and really liked it. Sewing the curves need improving.

Sunday afternoon I realized that I needed to send the email to all CR quilters with the next monthly block pattern and needed to make my block to include the picture. And since I had missed last month's meeting I still had to make that block too. Needless to say I had a grand time because I find sewing projects relaxing. Thanks, James, for being a patient patient.

Besides that we had to think what needs to be cancelled. My flight to Europe, rented car, B+B in England, our tickets to the Henley Regatta etc etc. What did we forget?

Of course there is some good in everything. Since we are now not gone in the week with the 4th of July Helen and William can now visit. The flight tickets are bought. Between her and William's vacation schedule it gets more difficult every year. She couldn't come for Easter and that July week seemed the only opportunity for the whole year. So, yeah ...!!! 

We tried to get organized and into some kind of a routine. Where is James comfortable to sit, when to use crutches, when the wheelchair? It is all good. The weather has been so nice that we sit a lot on the back patio and enjoy nature. It's now my job to refill the bird feeder but they don't seem to care. I also changed the hummingbird food and had a visitor there too.

And yeah, James got his staples out yesterday. Progress every day!

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Ute and Eva in VA - part 3

Monday May 26 - Memorial Day

Didn't do much today. We had to do some shopping in the morning but we did manage to visit my neighbor Janet to look at her beautiful quilts and pick up the fabric she got for me for my $20 from a private sale while I was gone.In the afternoon we left James and the three of us (ladies) went to the pharmacy where Sarah works. James is taking it easy and we try to set things up so that he is surrounded with what he might need. It was interesting for (Tante) Ute and Eva to see Sarah at work in her white coat. I had to pick something up. And, of course, we did stop across the street to look at yarn there. The weather was so gorgeous that we sat on the back patio for a long time. Dinner was curried chicken salad, spinach salad with some hearts of palm. And cut-up watermelon was also nice afterwards. The wine (red or white) wasn't bad either.

Tuesday
Ute and Eva find it too hot in the afternoon so we get going early in the morning. By 8:30am we were on the road and drove I-295 south and then via Surry to the Jamestown-Scotland Ferry. The drive took about 1 1/2 hours but we enjoyed the scenery. We did not have to wait long at the ferry.

Video!

The driving on and driving off took a little time but the the actual crossing of the River James took only about 15 minutes. It was not only free but great. The landing on the other side is right next to the three (replica) ships which landed here with settlers in 1607.

From the ferry we drove to Yorktown, another lovely drive. Since it was lunchtime we went straight to the Yorktown Pub where I had been before.From the daily specials Ute had the snapper. Eva and I had the soft shell crab. Really special to us.

The pub behind us.

Across the street the beach but it was already too hot to walk around.

We had seen a trolley from our table and the waitress gave us this map.

At the trolley stop.

You could have hopped on and hopped off but we just took the drive around the whole loop ... except that the driver didn't stop at our stop and we had to get off the next.A chance to take a photo with George Washington and a French Admiral. And then we walked back to the car.

An un-eventful drive home (thanks) and back to relaxing and knitting. The sweet William flowers at my front door are lovely right now.Oh yes, the 5pm G&T and leftovers for dinner.

Wednesday
Better get going early again because it is going to get hot in the afternoon. James decides to rather not come with us again. He will be busy to get my flights and the rented car cancelled etc etc.Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden opens at 9 am and we are there not much later. James and I have a membership for Cheekwood in Nashville which gives us (reciprocal) entry here too with one guest. Nice.

We go straight to the orchid/butterfly house first. In the pool next to the front door with this water lily. Eva spies the tiny turtle on its leaf. Can't resist taking the photo.

Ute and I are eager to go in to the butterflies but Eva decides that the extremely humid hot air would be dangerous to her health. She says it's the only thing she really has a problem with. I am so sorry because the butterflies are really fun.The feeding bowls are glass blown Chihuly.

Right away a butterfly landed on my arm.

And then one landed on her hat.

The orchids were being misted too and I knew pictures would not be coming out right ... But I had to take this one. The flowers each are the size of my hand.

Eva spied the magnolias and wanted a photo. I took more then one. They were beautiful too.

An azalea with three different color flowers on one bush?

Eva would like to know what these flowers/plants are (the white ones)?

I was looking for the pitcher plants. I had seen them before and really like them. I have never seen them this beautiful before though. I have more photos then these here. Just couldn't resist.

The area where they are planted is very nicely done.

We had told James we would be back for lunch. It was sushi Wednesday at Martin's and that had been another promise. Ute and Eva really liked it too (sorry, no picture). They even tried/practiced with chopsticks. When 5pm came I made Caipirinha, the "national drink of Brazil". We had talked about. I had not made it in so long but it came back to me.

Sarah came straight from work with Caleb.

We had wanted to make Wade the grill master but the weather started looking so ominous that Sarah started the grill. She did an excellent job. We had steaks and portabellas. We also had the usual mixed green salad and a pasta/crab/avocado-salad which Sarah had brought and Eva put the final touches on.

Sarah had also brought cupcakes from a fancy bakery which she needed to get something from anyway.

When it was past Caleb's bedtime he was very tired. He even fell asleep on my shoulder once. It was a very nice evening and yes, it thundered and rained heavily just when they would have liked to leave.
James took the next picture.

Thursday

In the beginning in Nashville I brought a cup of coffee up to my guests when I got my early cup of tea in the mornings. With James' arrival they got neglected a little. Last day today ... so I took coffee up to them again. They were still fast asleep so I just put the tray on the dresser. They said they woke up from the aroma. Sorry. Didn't mean to wake you.

Short after 10am we all were at the Apple store at Short Pump. James has a temporary handicapped parking license which helped but as soon as we had parked a fizzle rain started. Oh well ...
Ute had decided (after seeing James and me working on our iPads) that she would really like one. It was a very good experience since it was a bit out of the ordinary because it would be used in Germany. The salesperson was very nice and then handed us over to the "geek" who helped us setting it up.

We arrived home in time for lunch and then spent most of the afternoon on the sofa showing things to Ute. Ha, James and I found out something new to us too. Lots of laughter!

Otherwise it was a quiet day. After the rain yesterday it had turned cold (for us) and kind of ugly = kind of German, sigh. Oh yes, we went to Kroger too so they could say "good bye". Our many trips for groceries were always fun.
Suitcase time!


Friday

Their plane leaving Richmond Airport at 9:45 am. Time flew!

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