Babysitting in Kentucky!

DH and I traveled across Missouri, Illinois, and Indiana and reached the top tip of Kentucky to babysit our not quite two year old grandson while his folks took a business trip to Puerto Rico. Since she has just learned of a new pregnancy, this will probably the last trip for a while, and it was too good for her to miss. The days were busy and tiring for us and boy were we exhausted at night, but it was worth every aching joint and loss of energy to be with this little guy. Such fun! On Wednesday we kept him all to ourselves, but on Thursday and Friday we took him to his day care for a few hours. It kept him close to his regular schedule and frankly, it gave us a break too. Mason never stopped moving, investigating, hammering, jumping, or eating otherwise. Pardon me while I show a few Grammie pictures!

Who? Me?

Grandpa had made a complete set of wooden toys, but we only took one truck and trailer loaded with blocks because we knew he was a little young yet. But we wanted to give one truck to him personally rather shipping them all later. At first Grandpa was a little disappointed because Mason was interested but not squealing with joy over the truck. After all, most of his hard plastic toys sang songs, screamed letters, flashed lights. By golly, that truck just sat there unless you pushed it! Not long though until Mr. Mason figured out to push and moan like a big rig motor. He even figured out how to connect the small peg for truck and trailer.

On Monday when started the trip, we headed out early and stopped in Rolla to pick up cherry raspberry pie at Slice of Pie. Our friends, Jim and Elaine, had a light lunch ready for us, and we wanted to contribute. Elaine had a yummy chicken and noodle soup, fruit, and grilled cheese sandwiches. We all knew we had little time, but they live in Sunset Hills, only a sneeze away right off the main highway we were taking smack dab through St. Louis. We had been driving four hours and needed a break anyway. We ate, visited, and ran right on which we all hated but knew was necessary. By leaving in less than two hours, driving those St. Louis bridges downtown were a breeze with light traffic. We got as far as Corydon, Indiana before stopping for the night.

This was a different time of year for us to pass the tobacco fields in that area. Wow, were they unusual looking. We got out to feel the plants; they have rather smooth leaves and no smell at all. Some fields were ready for picking, while others had been cleared. Many tobacco barns were loaded with crops hanging out to dry.

 The next morning we were up and got through Louisville fine but lost our turn on the east side of city. It turned out well as we found a secondary road that was just delightful. We passed the Claudia Sanders Restaurant where the Kentucky Fried Chicken chain was born. It would have been fun to eat there. We had plenty of time to meander in little bergs and even stop at a few flea markets. Then we made it in to Independence and Florence, part of the urban sprawl of Covington, Kentucky, where our kids live. We began to get our instructions for one baby boy, two dogs, and two yowling cats. It was like living at Dr. Doolittle’s for a week!!!

In our free time while Mason was in his daycare playtime we made some nice stops in the area that I will save for another post.