Today is the Memorial Service for my father in law, Bill Gillette. I honor him today and want to tell you all how much he meant to me. Being across the country is not an easy thing when you lose a loved one and we (my children and I) are sad to miss the service in his honour today. Dad was a silly at times (yes, he let my kids jokingly put a bib on him last thanksgiving because he kept dropping his snacks and he laughed with them wholeheartedly), honorable, loyal, honest, hard working, responsible, sweet, caring, sugar loving (how many times we caught him with his hand in the cookie jar...literally), committed family man. He loved having the Gillette clan together for bbqs and any other reason. I met him as a young woman 25 years ago when Tim and I began dating. My dad and he have known each other for over 45 years. We didn't always see eye to eye about everything but I respected him very much. No matter what, you did know he loved you. Over the years, I can't tell you how many times he checked my tires and reminded me to "slow down, Shelley" (yes, regarding driving but also in my busy life). Most of all, I will miss hearing that sweet reminder. I know he meant it more out of love and concern for me than anything else. Lately, he still wearily added it when we said goodbyes. I am so glad that the kids and I made it out to the house before we left for the trip. As we left, he gave me a hug and told me to have fun. He was really supportive of us going and seeing the country. He was a hard guy to buy for but I know I gave him the best gift ever when I had Madison, his first grandchild. She was the apple of his eye and for 5 years, he was happy to dote on her until we added Christian. Grandpa and Christian were instant buddies, sharing interests in cars and airplanes. When Christian bridged from Cubscouts to Boyscouts, Grandpa was so proud. Being an Eagle Scout, he was so excited to see Christian gain an interest and committment to Boyscouts. Christian is always anxious to tell him about his campouts and anything new he learns about........Then we added Miss Gracie Jean to our brood and Grandpa's heart was smitten again. By this time, he had just become an old softie.....He enjoyed her so much!! She could always make him smile. He and I share a lot of the same political views and I will miss our conversations about things going on in the world. He didn't get to vote for Newt for President........but he would have, you can bet on it!! I couldn't asked for a better Father in law and I loved him very much. I honour him for giving me my husband, being a great grandfather to my 3 children and for the kind man he was to everyone he met. There are not many people who came across his path that didn't feel his gracious spirit. He and my mother in law have always been people that welcome anyone in and make them feel right at home. My friends and family have been beneficiaries of that kind hospitality many times. Thanks, Dad, for everything.......I know you have a new heart now and there will be no more weakness or cold for you.....you will be missed by me very much....I am toasting you with your favorite Coors light.
Here is a link to part of a memorial video about him:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ohJREKhfUdQ
....we slept in today.......felt so good. Laundry calls!!! We haven’t had time to do laundry in a week so we had quite a bit to do....3 loads for us and 3 for the Douglas family. I headed down to the nicest laundry/clubhouse facility that we have seen so far. This campground has not only many showers but a hot tub and TWO pools. There is a game room, café and tv/reading room. NICE!! I sat in the café and had breakfast and paid bills while my laundry ran through the cycles. We are on our way to the Naval Academy at Annapolis and we will be meeting Janae, a friend from Windsor, who is in her 3rd year there. After packing up and driving about 1 hour, we met up with Janae and walked about a mile into the town of Annapolis, our nation’s first capital. The buildings are quaint and colonial. We stopped at a Starbucks that is known for jazz........before it was a Starbucks; it was a jazz club and pub and it has a secret tunnel from the state buildings....an escape route for a rumored stop on the underground railroad.....
We arrived at the gate of Annapolis and showed our ids.....of course, we are thinking about Grandpa while we tour this beautiful academy....He would have loved it here.....He was excited when I told him that we would be here to visit...the memorial service was going on during our time here so it was just more poignant that we would be on a Navy facility while it was happening. Janae was able to show us the whole grounds including her dorms, the officers houses, the Admirals home, memorials to fallen navy men and women, and all of the education area, chapel, and museum. This school is a great opportunity for those who can get in and do the work. Being a student at Annapolis saves your parents $320,000 in education costs since you don't pay.....you owe the government a small thing of your service in exchange. But what an education you get here!!
Tonight there was a fancy ball at the Academy so everwhere we looked, we saw dressed up couples walking here and there. We shopped in the gift shop and left to eat dinner in the main street area. We stopped in at a cute restaurant that boasts of 6 lb milkshakes, no we didn't have one, and 3 lb burgers, yes Christian begged for one!!! He actually ate a 1 lb burger and part of Madison's lasagna.....The restaurant has been on Man vs. Food so my kids were excited to eat there.....they love that show. We toasted Dad at dinner (with a Coors light) and prayed for the goings on at home. Even though we were so full, we ventured back down the street to get waffle cone ice cream from one of the local shops.....it was so good and I don't normally eat this kind of treat!!
Back in the RV and we are off driving to WV to koa right next to Harpers Ferry.......
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