The Wheels on the Car Went 'Round and 'Round

Yes, they did.  The wheels on our Explorer went 'round and 'round over the last two weeks.  First we took my mom to Seattle for an appointment with her eye specialist.  The day after we got home, we left to visit Bruder Bear in south Idaho,  The day after we got home from that trip, we drove my dad to Spokane for an appointment with his heart specialist.  I think I can still hear the rumble of the road.  

Mom's appointment didn't go as well as we'd hoped, but Dad's turned out great.  They speeded up his pacemaker a little so he'd have more energy, said he was amazing, and told him he didn't have to come back for a year. Yay!!

We had a great time at Bruder Bear's.  Karen and I again stripped wallpaper, which of course had another whole layer of wallpaper and borders underneath. Shades of the border we removed from her kitchen soffits last year. We're getting to be pro's at stripping multiple layers. We didn't get it all removed, but at least we got a good start on it.  

Dan and John worked on a special project:  tuning up a boat trailer for Dad.  Well over fifty years ago, my Dad started building a boat.  He'd work on it now and then and finally fiber-glassed it ten or so years ago.  It's been sitting in his shop ever since.  Since Dad is now eight-nine, John came to the conclusion that if that boat was ever going to enter the water, something had to be done. He found wonderful used trailer and called to see if we'd like to go halfies with him on a Christmas present for Dad. Of course we would!  The guys did some rewiring and had the wheel bearings repacked.  They were even able to license it in Dad's name.  We towed it back up this week on Monday.

Tuesday morning Mom and Dad drove up so we could drive them the rest of the way to Spokane.  We had an elaborate plan of revealing that the trailer in our driveway was Dad's, but it was a terrible, stormy day.  The less time we were out in the elements the better.  Dan decided to tie a red bow on it, so he ran out and did it--just in time as they arrived a minute or so later.

When Dad pulled into the driveway, he had a grin on his face.  Through the rolled down window, Dan told him a man in a red suit had dropped the trailer off and said that it was Dad's Christmas present.  Then we told him it was his present from John and Karen and us.  

He's looking pretty happy!!

When we got back from Spokane I said I had to get a picture of him next to the trailer before he left since the weather was much more cooperative.

  

Our nephew JR is heading down to Mom and Dad's as I type, towing the trailer to its new home.  He was planning to spend the weekend with them and do a little hunting, so it worked out perfectly for him to take it. I'll bet there'll be a lot more grinning going on in a little bit.