It was the Dodds family year for Thanksgiving so we caught the last flight from BWI to Love Field, with Keith's dad picking us up at 11pm. Lily and Boone were staying the night so we got to play with them a bit when we work up Thursday morning. Thanksgiving lunch was at The Omni hotel's restaurant Texas Spice. Margaret arrived with Josie and Owen and Graham was able to make it - he was jammed getting ready opening his new restaurant but broke away for a couple of hours. The buffet was pretty good and the kids had fun serving themselves. It was drizzling a bit but we played a small game of tag outside the hotel afterward to burn a bit of the kid's energy off - and to exhaust Keith.
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| Josie, Boone, Lily, and Owen |
We had riven separately so we drove over to Bob and Ginny's to see the whole Phoenix clan after lunch. We chatted for a couple of hours before going back to the house to meet Keith's parents to see the Bond movie Spectre. It was absolutely pouring rain so we got drenched going back and forth to the car.
We woke up Friday morning and got a call from Shawna's uncle telling her that her Dad (who was in a nursing home) might not make it through the night. We scrambled to find ways to get to St Francisville and finally decided that the best way was to rent a car and drive. So we cancelled the plans in Texas, picked up a rental at DFW airport, and made the 6.5 hour journey to see her dad. We arrived at the Country Manor nursing home to see Jim - with Honey, Wayne, Barbara, Nicole, and a few others already there. Shawna was able to say her goodbyes before he died at 6am the next morning - Wayne was with him the whole night.
We spent the rest of the weekend planning the funeral - which was to be on the Thursday since it seems coroners don't work weekends. Keith flew back to Baltimore from New Orleans for three days of work while Shawna stayed in Louisiana since she was able to work remotely. Keith made it back late on the Wednesday night for the Thursday funeral. The wake and funeral was in Moreauville so Jim could be buried with Danny, followed by a lunch at Honey's house.
Since the Thanksgiving plans were changed, we decided to fly back to Texas the following weekend. We got the flights on points from Alexandria on the Friday afternoon. Keith's dad picked us up and we drove straight to North Park Mall to do some quick Christmas shopping. Keith's mother and sister were already there - we saw them and then walked to Banana Republic for shirts and then to REI for a jacket for Shawna. The five of us then met at Amberjax Trinity Grove so Keith could make good on his dad's birthday IOU.
The next morning we went for a 1.5 hour walk around the neighborhood. We had Zabars cheese for lunch and then went over to see Peter, Jen, and the kids for a couple of hours. After our visit, we drove over to Margaret's house and then shared an Uber with Margaret to go to the final friends and family night at Wayward Sons, Graham's new restaurant. Keith's parents were there with Sandy and Harold - they had an earlier reservation since they had a show to go to. Graham had said that the first couple of nights had been rough - our night was much better. The entire meal was comped - sweet!!
On Sunday, we went for another walk and went home for more cheese for lunch. Boone and Lily were at the house by then - Keith's dad had picked them up so that they could attend Owen's birthday party. We all then went to the party at a trampoline park. Keith did some jumping but took it a bit easy so he would not pull anything like he did last time he attempted the trampolines with Ria. We went straight to the airport from the party and made it home to Baltimore by 9pm.
We spent the rest of the weekend planning the funeral - which was to be on the Thursday since it seems coroners don't work weekends. Keith flew back to Baltimore from New Orleans for three days of work while Shawna stayed in Louisiana since she was able to work remotely. Keith made it back late on the Wednesday night for the Thursday funeral. The wake and funeral was in Moreauville so Jim could be buried with Danny, followed by a lunch at Honey's house.
Since the Thanksgiving plans were changed, we decided to fly back to Texas the following weekend. We got the flights on points from Alexandria on the Friday afternoon. Keith's dad picked us up and we drove straight to North Park Mall to do some quick Christmas shopping. Keith's mother and sister were already there - we saw them and then walked to Banana Republic for shirts and then to REI for a jacket for Shawna. The five of us then met at Amberjax Trinity Grove so Keith could make good on his dad's birthday IOU.
The next morning we went for a 1.5 hour walk around the neighborhood. We had Zabars cheese for lunch and then went over to see Peter, Jen, and the kids for a couple of hours. After our visit, we drove over to Margaret's house and then shared an Uber with Margaret to go to the final friends and family night at Wayward Sons, Graham's new restaurant. Keith's parents were there with Sandy and Harold - they had an earlier reservation since they had a show to go to. Graham had said that the first couple of nights had been rough - our night was much better. The entire meal was comped - sweet!!
On Sunday, we went for another walk and went home for more cheese for lunch. Boone and Lily were at the house by then - Keith's dad had picked them up so that they could attend Owen's birthday party. We all then went to the party at a trampoline park. Keith did some jumping but took it a bit easy so he would not pull anything like he did last time he attempted the trampolines with Ria. We went straight to the airport from the party and made it home to Baltimore by 9pm.
