A Quiet Morning In Lee's Summit, MO

Selfie With Our Son Tom's Family

It's 7:30 and not a family member is stirring; it's just me and Bella, the dog.  The morning sky is just beginning to wake, to lighten through the shades so it looks like another stellar day in the Midwest, with a high of 60º, our kind of weather.  When we arrived yesterday, it was a warm 74º, unusual for this time of the year.

There's not much to say about yesterday's eight-hour drive from Dallas to Lee's Summit, a suburb of Kansas City.  This is the third time in three year's that we have made this drive yet it never seems very familiar, perhaps because the landscape does not change much during the 500 mile drive. 

Oklahoma's Welcome Center

The route is through mostly cattle farms, with animals grazing off to the horizon.  Occasionally, we would drive through a town, the ubiquitous strip of fast foods, one or two lights and a Pilot or Love gas station.  In other words, the drive seemed long and boring, but it was better than Interstate where there's no view.

We arrived at my son Tom's house just about 4:00.  We let ourselves in because they were at a Missouri/Arkansas football game party.  We were able to get unpacked before they texted to say they were on their way around 4:15.  They all look great, Nick back from college for a few days, Marlena, now a 9th grader and tennis player at the local high school.  We were able to get caught up on all their busy lives, with Tom's work, the kid's school and Mary being a busy Mom.  I forgot to mention Bella, their dog, who seems to recognize both Evie and I and quickly jumps up on our laps to be petted.  I love other people's dogs.

Evie And Marlena And Nick

We sat around until dinner time, watching TV, both football and basketball while Evie and Mary sat with Marlena while she did her homework.  What kind of school gives homework over break?  Most of them I guess.  At Reserve, as I recall, we purposely did not give homework because we thought the kids needed a break.  Around 6:30, Tom pulled out the marinating vegetables and cooked them on the grill.  Once they were about done, he grilled six or seven tenderloins.  We had them with the rice and veggies and they were thick and juicy, just the way we like them, almost raw on the inside.  The last time we had tenderloins was a year ago at their condo on the Lake Of The Ozark.

After dinner, Evie mentioned a movie that she thought everyone would like, a romantic comedy called THE BIG SICK.  Other than using the f-word about 50 times, we figured it was an appropriate film for a 9th grader like Marlena and it was our other granddaughter's Marisa's favorite current film.  And, I think, everyone did like it, even Nick our sophomore in college.  By the time it was over, it was 10:30 and we were all ready for bed except for Nick.  His friend from high school and college came over and they were going to play video games.