Alone again

Carmen and Mark left about an hour ago, headed back to NJ.
Lexi and Rose went back to their homes last night.
It's quiet! Actually it was quiet most of yesterday, too. Carmen, Mark and the girls went on an adventure without me - my choice.

It's been quite a weekend! On Friday, I met Alyssa, Lexi and Devin in Paducah for lunch, and Lexi came home with me. Actually, we went to Sara's to pick up Rose. Carmen and her friend Mark were expecting to get here around dark, but while we were at Sara's, Carmen called to say they were in Murray having a late lunch. So we stayed there until they came, saw the baby, visited for a while, etc. When we were ready to leave, I gave Carmen a key to the house and told her that I needed to stop in town for milk and bread. She came back into the house almost immediately and asked if I had a spare tire. Mark had noted that the left, rear one was a bit soft, so he wanted to change it. He's a mechanic, so he notices such things quickly. The tire was threadbare in a couple of spots.

The girls had to ride with me because Alyssa's crib was in the back of the Jeep (except for one important part, which they will need to bring when they come back after the next baby is born in October). I'm sure they would rather have been with Grammy. Usually when they stay here, they sleep on a cot and pallet in my room, but since Grammy was here, they slept on the couches in the living room.

Saturday morning, after breakfast at the local cafe, we headed to Mayfield. First, we stopped in Fancy Farm to pick up my second lawn mower from the repair shop. With it in the back of the Jeep, the girls had to ride with me again. In Mayfield, we went to the Art Guild, where Alyssa was waiting for us. Carmen makes sure she goes there every time she's here, to see the exhibit and to spend a little money in the gift shop. After that, we went to buy a new tire for my car. By this time it was about 1:30 and the place I always go for car things was closed, so we had to go to WalMart. Alyssa took the girls and headed to Sara's house, while Carmen, Mark and I waited.

We were at Sara's for a couple of hours when people started to think of food. Reggie had gone to clean the church that his family attend - a little side job he and Sara have been doing for a while. Carmen wanted to show Mark the Wooldridge Monuments, so they left with the understanding that we would meet up at our favorite Mexican restaurant. Sara was hesitant about going, because she has told Reggie's family that she's not going anywhere for two months (I'm not sure that's the time period she said). She was afraid that if she left, some family member would stop by. Alyssa told her to say, "My sister forced me to go, and you know what a bitch she is." Lexi and I both burst out laughing at that.

While Sara was getting ready, Alyssa's cellphone rang. It was Carmen. They had run out of gas! They were a few miles north of town, by the industrial park. They had gone to 'the bottoms' for beer. Graves County is 'dry,' except for liquor-by-the-glass at certain restaurants in Mayfield, so the nearest liquor store is at Leader Bottom, just over the McCracken County line. Sara lent us a gas can, and Lexi and I went to the rescue. First stop, of course, was the gas station in Mayfield. Then we headed up US45, looking for a vehicle on the shoulder on the other side of the road. As soon as we passed the place I expected to find them, my cellphone rang. Lexi answered it for me, and said, "We just passed them!" They were not on the shoulder; they had pulled into the industrial park drive.

After supper, Carmen, Mark, Lexi, Rose and I came back to my house. The girls were still riding with me, because of the lawn mower being in the Jeep. They took the mower out, and we took off again, all in one vehicle. Carmen wanted to show Mark the confluence of the Ohio and MIssissippi Rivers; I went along to make sure she didn't get lost. When we got to Defiance Park (I think that's what it's called), I sat in the car, while they walked around, sticking their feet in the rivers, etc. Since we were so close, we also went across the bridge into Missouri, but after a few miles, we turned around and came back to Milburn.

Yesterday morning, I opted to stay home, while the four of them went to see the flood wall murals in Paducah, the Superman statue in Metropolis, and then to a water park. Carmen called me when they were leaving the water park, headed for Sara's, in case I wanted to meet them there. I declined. They didn't get back here until about midnight - sans children.

This morning, we had breakfast at the local cafe again, and then they headed back to NJ. I hope they have a safe trip.