After having such a great family time at Easter with Joe’s family we headed a little south to Cincinnati to Winton Woods, a Hamilton County Park. We have stayed at Winton Woods for the past 7 years when we visit our son Zach and his wife Lauren. Great place to stay but as in all great things it seems to change over time. Each time we go back, we normally stay twice a year for two weeks, we find things just a little bit disappointing. The last two times we have found the campground not as well taken care of. Mostly it seems that there is just more garbage lying on the grounds and in the fire pits. On our site we had to pick out large pieces of broken glass in the fire pit and rake up misc garbage on the ground. On the weekends when families fill up the campground we notice that when they leave they don’t seem to care about cleaning up their sites. Next to us we watch a family pull out leaving paper cups and napkins on the ground. But then across from us we watched a dad give each of his three children a garbage bag and they had to clean up as he hooked up to leave. So we see some of each but Joe has always had the philosophy that you leave a place better than when you got there so it is tough to see parents not teaching their kids to take care of mother earth and care about the next person who wants to enjoy the campsite. Winton Woods CG also has some of the crabbiest people working there. It is too bad because it is a wonderful place to stay and it just takes one old codger to spoil it for you but then you try to remember that you take the good with the bad and only feel sorry that they hate their job so much.
We enjoyed our visit with Zach and Lauren so much we are going to force ourselves on them again in June. Joe and I had a blast destroying their kitchen. In just a few short days we had taken down the cabinets, the ceiling, the flooring, and the walls. I think it surprised all of us how easy it was. Of course, it is much easier to destroy the room and then walk away from it and let Zach and Lauren figure it out from there. We had the easy job! When we left they had a room with no walls, no ceiling and a bare floor. They are waiting for the contractor to come in and do the walls and ceiling but they are going to do the rest themselves. I think they have a lot of work ahead of them. Zach said it will be done in June when we go back but if it isn’t we will be there to help. Otherwise we will find another project to help them with as they are trying to redo their 100 plus year old house to put on the market. We are proud at all the time and work those two are doing to get it ready and any little thing we can help them with we will try to be there for them.
While in Cincinnati we were able to spend a few hours with Lauren’s parents, Bob and Mary, at a fabulous brunch at the Grand Finale in Glendale and take a walk in the Glenwood Gardens. The brunch was in a building that was built over 100 years ago as Kelley’s Saloon. It was a beautiful, old, two-story building, filled with antiques and a lot of history. The food was excellent and the company even better. We spent a little time walking the trails at Glenwood Gardens. In a month or two I’m sure the gardens will be popping with colors when everything is blooming. Maybe we can go back in June to check it out.
Zach’s Great Dane, Hope, spent a few days with us, as all of our grand dogs do (and Hope is really a GRAND dog). She is fun to walk around the campground and she loves to take walks. Because of her size people stop you and want to pet her and she loves every minute of it. We have to warn people of her goobers. Danes have a tendency to drool a lot and when she walks the goobers (as we call it) runs out the side of her jowls and she doesn’t hesitate to wipe them on you. We love spending time with her, goobers and all, and with Zach and Lauren. It is always hard to say good-bye but we know we will be back soon.
We left the nice weather of Cincinnati to make it back to Minnesota so we could watch our granddaughter Cate (who doesn’t have goobers) while our daughter Cassie and her husband, Aaron, take a little vacation before their new baby arrives in July. We normally take our time driving the 800 miles from Ohio to MN but this time because snow was being predicted back in MN we decided to push it and made it back in 2 days. We are so thankful we did. The weather turned nasty the first day we were in MN with first sleet and then the snow. Propane tanks are full, electric heater plugged in and we are hunkering down for hopefully the last snowstorm of the season. We love our home on wheels and the sunny, warm weather of the south but we also love our family and it is great to spend time with them.
Recently I opened a fortunate cookie with this fortunate inside – “To love and be loved are blessings.” Joe and I are so blessed and we wish the same to all of our family and friends.
Take care, be happy and be blessed!