Memoirs of Mommy: Visiting "Perk"

On the fourth of July, we ventured north toward Spokane to visit Grandpa Perkins. It was a long road trip, but the girls were good sports. Thankfully.

That day we stopped in Salmon Idaho to visit the Tolmans, and see their new home.

We were treated to a picnic on their beautiful, child friendly property and Kala surprised me with my favorite cake and ice cream flavors after a lovely rendition of Happy Birthday by most of her in-law family. It was nice of them to share their holiday although I felt like a slight interruption to their festivities. Life as a holiday baby, I suppose. It had been years since someone baked me a cake, so that was a special treat in and of itself. Other than that, turning 33 was the strangest birthday yet. All day in a car really makes you feel old, in a hurry. Not much to do but look out the window and dream about days gone by.

Noon the next day we made it into Spokane Valley. Luckily we missed the small engine plane that crash landed on the very freeway we traveled. Seeing a plane on the road is a very disheartening sight. It reminded me that although we may think we are in control of our lives, you never know when something might fall out of thin air and land where you least expect it!

Last year when Grandma Perkins was alive we had to miss out on the family trip. Mick has always regretted not making it up to see Grandma one last time. To hear her stories, to sit with her and visit. We knew we needed to get up to see Grandpa, celebrate his 93rd birthday, and record several of his life stories. Grandpa was all too thrilled to sit with Mick, that they didn't even take a lunch, but recorded story after story for 6 hours!

Grandpa is such a friendly, humorous, short little man who has experienced much in his life. We enjoyed our short visit with him. Our only wish is that he lived closer and we could spend more time with him.