Dateline Dayton – Last Thursday afternoon I took the second half of my day off to perform two tasks, helping with an audit at our condo association and grouting the floor at our son Chris’s place. Unfortunately, Chris doesn’t like the color of the grout. It is not perfect, but I could live with it.
We were at the ballpark for a Dayton Dragons’ baseball game Friday, and the evening was enlivened when 10 members from an Army parachute team dropped in, literally, just before a game.
On Saturday morning Pauline, Chris, our daughter Lisa, her children and I left for Michigan to attend granddaughter Emily’s graduation party. We stopped in Piqua for breakfast. Boy, was that a mistake. Took forever to get our food. My sister says it is standard operating procedure for the restaurant.
Attending the party was surprise for our daughter. We had told her we couldn’t be there. She and Emily were so surprised. They appreciated that all of us made the effort to attend. We had a wonderful time, even getting to help clean up.
We spent the night in Niles. Darlene and Emily had another party to attend so we went out for pizza, at a pizza parlor in downtown Niles. Food and service were excellent. My suggestion that we eat at there was another mistake. It turns out to be a music venue and people come and spend the entire evening. We took our pizza back to the hotel.
On the way home Sunday, we stopped for an outstanding chicken dinner. True to form for this trip, it was not without confusion. We had called ahead for a reservation. It never registered. A table opened, however, shortly after we arrived. Everyone enjoyed the chicken dinner, even Lisa’s husband Paul, was able to enjoy the chicken. He collected all of the leftovers from his family. I had Pauline’s leftovers for lunch on Monday.
Sunday evening our sons Bill and Jon came over for Father’s Day. Along with Chris and Pauline, we enjoyed pizza that Bill brought. This Father’s Day weekend was a major accomplishment: I saw all of my children and all but two of my grandchildren, the first time in many years.
Chris obtained grout paint on Sunday, and we spent the next two evenings changing the color of the grout. It does look better. But the original grout would have been acceptable.
I must be a glutton for punishment. I enjoy working on projects when things go right. Yesterday I worked on the second bathroom. In the evening, when Chris got home from work, we installed the cabinet and vanity in the other bathroom.
If things go right, this weekend I should have the floor down in the second bathroom. This time we will test the grout – getting Chris’s approval — prior to installation.
Mr. Hennessey may be contacted at pmhenn@sbcglobal.net