The H. Odyssey, Part I : Rhode Island

I am so FAR behind.
Apologies to those who think I am dead.
(Bryan reminded me of this this morning with a phone call asking if we survived.)
Poor Blue Max.
Between Lehsa's "Water World" and my Microtel Stranding, dude must have felt as if all his "people" were AWOL.
So, without further ado I will upload the first smattering of images depicting the Hateful Odyssey:

Dad and his best friend from the time he was a child.

Blue is my dad's dog. Blue remained behind and moved to a lovely farm in Tiverton where she is treated as the respectable person she is, and not jailed 24/7 on an old man's porch.
Her liberty has come.

Courtney and Jessie. Jessie found a lovely new home at the

same Tiverton farm as Blue. Courtney stayed at her same house.

;o)

And now...a story...

So this ocurred a month or more ago while I was in Rhode Island.

Dad, Frankie (a cousin) and I are up in the loft of the barn and we are taking the wheels off the buggies and getting them labeled and ready to pack. I am also measuring each buggy and sleigh so that I can gauge how large or how many Uhaul trucks might be required to stransfer all this cra-I mean "stuff" from Rhode Island to Oregon. in the process, the spring insid ethe tape measure snapped.

I said: "dad, I think the speing in this tape measure just broke."

Dad swore and grabbed the tape measure out of my hand.

He attempted to reinsert the tape and when he couldn't he began wildly yanking it ALL out - temper tanrum style.

I said: "dad I'm really sorry, we can go to the hardware store tomorrow and I will buy you a new one."

He said : You can't ever buy another one of These! They don't make These anymore."

Suddenly, I was transported back through time. I was reduced to a 5 year old, being harshed out about whatever I have done can NEVER be forgiven and I must forever be damned in this hell of inadequacy, ever to grovel before him.

My temper flared.

During all this time, I somehow lost track of where Frankie went.

I said : "well fine then! So sue me!"

He hurled the tape measure and its web of yanked out tape across the barn and against the wall with all of his 80 year old man gusto.

Silence.

Going back to tasks.

Frankie walks in, with a tape measure in hand. (pictured above.)

He takes dad's hand and places it in his palm and says: "Here Bill! I want you to have this. It is a great tape measure...etc...and he begins to describe all the many miraculous and helpful functions of this tape measure.

Dad is very thankful and accepts the gift.

I am still chopped liver, but at least Frankie has deflected the fires.

Frankie looks at me as if to say, "I saw what happened and you aren't crazy. This really happened."

It took me DAYS top process what happened.

It was like a huge gap in my critical thinking abilities that denied me access to the comprehension areas of my brain. (Blue - keep your comment to yourself! ;o) )

I took this photo to remind me again, once dad was actually living in my house, that I must never react again, and not let my temper flare. I must not permit him to reduce me to a 5 year old ever again.

Frankie also agreed to pose for this photo with Dad and his daughter Courtney. At the last minute Stu placed a "prop" in Frankie's hand. See below...

More to follow.....