Travel and Bootcamp
Travel has been the keyword around here for a couple of weeks: Keith was on a business trip Sunday through Thursday a couple of weeks ago, came home, and then we all left the next morning for Georgia, where we (with the blessed help of friends who happened to be in the area) picked up a 6x6 walk-in cooler and compressor, as well as a walk-in freezer (no compressor; possible future smoke-house?). We spent the weekend with some of those friends, and worshipped with them all and still more good friends. We didn't get to stay the entire Lord's day, though, and left around 3 p.m., I guess.
The next day--last Monday--was spent casually getting caught up on laundry and packing for the next trip, to begin the following day. When Keith got home, though, plans changed so that we could see his father on this trip; we decided to leave that night! So we kicked the packing and preparations in gear and left at 10:30 p.m. We met his father (who has not been well) for breakfast Tuesday morning in Mississippi. We drove around the area and he showed us memory spots--his family's land; the area where the log cabin had been where he and his sisters were born; his parents' house in town after they moved from the cabin; where his mother had worked in the Post Office; the "Tabernacle" (a large shelter where camp meetings used to be held); the community center; the cemetery where his mother is buried. The time with him was a blessing and a treasure.
We left after an hour or two and headed for an overnight stay at my brother, sister-in-law, and niece's in Fort Worth, Texas. We got there in time for dinner and a visit, but left after breakfast Wednesday in order to get to San Antonio by mid-afternoon (with a stop at Cabela's in between). We arrived at the Gardenia Inn, a B&B about 3/4 of a mile from Gonzales Convention Center, where we attended Vision Forum's Entrepreneurial Bootcamp. We stayed at the inn with some of our Georgia friends, saw and made more friends at the Bootcamp--and got re-acquainted with someone who graduated with Keith from high school and whom we hadn't seen since college 20+ years ago! We hope to see more of all these folks.
The Bootcamp was good, as one would expect from Vision Forum. My favorite parts were the keynotes from Nick Logan and Joel Salatin. The girls, 3yo son, and I went to a Nick Logan break-out session, and that, too, was very good. Geoff Botkin was also good. I was a bit frustrated with the time limits on Mr. Logan and Mr. Botkin for their keynotes; neither was able to finish, and I didn't want them to end!
11yo son went to a couple of Joel Salatin break-outs with a friend. I think 11yo son really liked them, but said the second one was a great deal of repeat from Mr. Salatin's books and from our visit to the field day at his farm, Polyface Farm, last summer (which is where we first met some of these Georgia folks we've been so blessed by this past year).
We arrived in San Antonio a day early to be tourists, and we did that well and enjoyed ourselves. It's a neat town, and we ate and ate and ate, starting with wonderful breakfasts at the Gardenia Inn. We also walked and walked and walked, even with trolley passes for a couple of days (which I highly recommend).
By Saturday evening, we were exhausted, as was everyone at the Bootcamp, probably. I'm glad we didn't try to start home then, but stayed the extra night and left after breakfast on the Lord's day. That also gave us the opportunity to get to know a father and son from Georgia a bit better and to enjoy their company Saturday evening for dinner, along with the friends we were at the Inn with.
We were approaching the Centerville/Dickson exit here in Tennessee close to 11:30 p.m. with another 2+ hours to go toward home when our vehicle decided to give us real problems. Thankfully, my sister lives in Dickson, so we stayed with her. The car was checked out there, only to find by mid-day Monday that it was not what we'd assumed (transmission). So, with some car-borrowing and shuffling, Keith made it home, hooked the trailer up to my parents' truck, and came back to Dickson Monday evening, picking up the car on the way to my sister's. We stayed that night and left the next morning, coming home on backroads to see some new scenery.
We got home mid-day, exhausted again. I felt useless all afternoon. Keith and 13yod fixed lunch--and later, dinner, too. I did laundry, even though I'd done 4 or 5 loads at my sister's. I also did some unpacking. Keith even napped in the afternoon.
So here we are, home again. I so longed to be here, but now that I'm here, I don't want to deal with some of the stuff--balancing the checking account, cooking, groceries, etc.--that goes with being at home!
Mary Susan
The next day--last Monday--was spent casually getting caught up on laundry and packing for the next trip, to begin the following day. When Keith got home, though, plans changed so that we could see his father on this trip; we decided to leave that night! So we kicked the packing and preparations in gear and left at 10:30 p.m. We met his father (who has not been well) for breakfast Tuesday morning in Mississippi. We drove around the area and he showed us memory spots--his family's land; the area where the log cabin had been where he and his sisters were born; his parents' house in town after they moved from the cabin; where his mother had worked in the Post Office; the "Tabernacle" (a large shelter where camp meetings used to be held); the community center; the cemetery where his mother is buried. The time with him was a blessing and a treasure.
We left after an hour or two and headed for an overnight stay at my brother, sister-in-law, and niece's in Fort Worth, Texas. We got there in time for dinner and a visit, but left after breakfast Wednesday in order to get to San Antonio by mid-afternoon (with a stop at Cabela's in between). We arrived at the Gardenia Inn, a B&B about 3/4 of a mile from Gonzales Convention Center, where we attended Vision Forum's Entrepreneurial Bootcamp. We stayed at the inn with some of our Georgia friends, saw and made more friends at the Bootcamp--and got re-acquainted with someone who graduated with Keith from high school and whom we hadn't seen since college 20+ years ago! We hope to see more of all these folks.
The Bootcamp was good, as one would expect from Vision Forum. My favorite parts were the keynotes from Nick Logan and Joel Salatin. The girls, 3yo son, and I went to a Nick Logan break-out session, and that, too, was very good. Geoff Botkin was also good. I was a bit frustrated with the time limits on Mr. Logan and Mr. Botkin for their keynotes; neither was able to finish, and I didn't want them to end!
11yo son went to a couple of Joel Salatin break-outs with a friend. I think 11yo son really liked them, but said the second one was a great deal of repeat from Mr. Salatin's books and from our visit to the field day at his farm, Polyface Farm, last summer (which is where we first met some of these Georgia folks we've been so blessed by this past year).
We arrived in San Antonio a day early to be tourists, and we did that well and enjoyed ourselves. It's a neat town, and we ate and ate and ate, starting with wonderful breakfasts at the Gardenia Inn. We also walked and walked and walked, even with trolley passes for a couple of days (which I highly recommend).
By Saturday evening, we were exhausted, as was everyone at the Bootcamp, probably. I'm glad we didn't try to start home then, but stayed the extra night and left after breakfast on the Lord's day. That also gave us the opportunity to get to know a father and son from Georgia a bit better and to enjoy their company Saturday evening for dinner, along with the friends we were at the Inn with.
We were approaching the Centerville/Dickson exit here in Tennessee close to 11:30 p.m. with another 2+ hours to go toward home when our vehicle decided to give us real problems. Thankfully, my sister lives in Dickson, so we stayed with her. The car was checked out there, only to find by mid-day Monday that it was not what we'd assumed (transmission). So, with some car-borrowing and shuffling, Keith made it home, hooked the trailer up to my parents' truck, and came back to Dickson Monday evening, picking up the car on the way to my sister's. We stayed that night and left the next morning, coming home on backroads to see some new scenery.
We got home mid-day, exhausted again. I felt useless all afternoon. Keith and 13yod fixed lunch--and later, dinner, too. I did laundry, even though I'd done 4 or 5 loads at my sister's. I also did some unpacking. Keith even napped in the afternoon.
So here we are, home again. I so longed to be here, but now that I'm here, I don't want to deal with some of the stuff--balancing the checking account, cooking, groceries, etc.--that goes with being at home!
Mary Susan
posted by The Bradshaws at 6:13 PM
2 Comments:
I really admire families that do what you do; I have become such a homebody that it's a great effort to get our family ready to go on a trip. I think I'm also worrying about how well the animals will be taken care of, etc. Hopefully you will have an opportunity to get rested up!
If I had known you were going to be in my neck of the woods, I would have had you stop on your way! Or I would have met you somewhere! Keep that in mind for next time!
I thought about attending the bootcamp, but I couldn't get it all arranged. It sounds like it was a wonderful time, with lots of fantastic information.
That's quite a bit of travelling you've done. Isn't arriving home wonderful!
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