DAY 6 = A Pleasant Surprise
The next day, our morning started out with an overcast
sky but an optimistic forecast. Cue
Google search. Rather than head north
that day, we went west-southwest to Tamworth.
We read some reviews about a farm out that way.
We ended up at Remick Country Doctor Museum & Farm. We had zero expectations. Turned out to be a pretty cute place. The kids really enjoyed it. Great excursion and definitely a destination
slightly off the beaten path. THE WIFE
snapped photos like we were preparing to leave for prom. We fed some sheep and billy goats. We admired piglets until mama pigs snorted
the kids away from getting closer. We
strolled among gardens of flowers and produce.
Very picturesque.
Across the street, we had a picnic in a sweet spot
overlooking the Swift River then headed home.
That afternoon, Mommy and Greta had their big date out
on the town. Though I heard the stories
only second hand, it sounded like a nice adventure. The ladies opted for mani’s and pedi’s, of
course. Then, the women be
shopping. After a nice dinner together,
Gigi had an agenda: back to the toy store.
The night before during my date with Greta, she tried
to convince me to buy a bunch of stuff that I resisted until we compromised on
a Cinderella jigsaw puzzle.
Unfortunately, she was disappointed.
She kept talking about some jewelry box that I dismissed as being a
purchase she really didn’t want. I was
wrong.
When the ladies arrived home from their night on the
town, Greta strode into the house triumphantly with a large plastic bag. Mom agreed to buy the “treasure box” that
Greta had oohed and aahed over. (During
a visit by her pre-K teacher this week, Greta proudly showed off the pretty
jewelry box with several secret compartments as they toured her bedroom. Too cute.)
Score one for THE WIFE. I schemed
about how I might be able to retake the lead in the favorite parent
competition.
DAY 7 = Icing on the Cake
Let’s just skip directly
to my attempt at father-daughter bonding to end the trip on a nice note.
On our multiple
trips into town during the week, we passed by a studio in Conway. I’ve only done yoga about three times total
in my life, but it’s starting to grow on me.
Lately during Gus’ P.T. session with Kristie, both he and Greta do yoga as
part of his therapy, though typically not longer than ten minutes or so.
Once Gus and Tilly
went down for their naps after the beach, Greta and I headed to the studio to
get our Namaste on. We met Miss
Dawn. She generally teaches yoga to
children with special needs. I figured
that just the two of us would make for a pretty eventful thirty minutes.
Miss Dawn turned out to be quite a character. She did everything possible to make Greta
feel comfortable. Miss Dawn opened
introductions by giving a small teddy bear to Greta. Soon, we walked around the studio pretending
to be in a jungle looking at animals.
Then we did some poses pretending to be animals. Miss Dawn had me barking like a dog, meowing
like a cat, and roaring like a lion. (As
I was bent over on all fours howling like a wolf, a relatively quiet voice
inside my head began to wonder if perhaps I had misread the studio’s sign.)
Despite all of the effort, Greta was still
lukewarm. Miss Dawn set up a little
house of cushions and blankets for Greta to sit under. She played the hokey pokey on a CD
player. Unfortunately, Greta hardly
flinched. Soon, the thirty minutes came
and went. It was time to leave.
Miss Dawn presented a bowl of fruit to Greta so she
could choose a snack. Greta actually
nibbled on some grapes. Miss Dawn and I chatted. Considering her background, I talked to her about
Gus, Tilly, and THE WIFE. We hoped to
reconnect during our next visit and to introduce the rest of the fam to her. As we got ready to leave, I prepared to
discuss what I owed because I never asked how much a half hour private session
would cost. I had $100 in my pocket to
be safe. Miss Dawn asked me for ten
bucks. I tried to give her forty. She finally relented and took twenty. What a sweetheart.
So that was basically the end of vacation. Greta and I picked up a pizza to bring to the
house for dinner before our road trip home.
Then, we packed up, cleaned up, and locked up. Finally, we drove away into the rainy
night.
As we drove home, we (naturally) encountered severe
thunderstorms on the highway that just chuckled at the downpours we drove
through previously on our way up to Madison.
After a few movies in the FUV, the three amigos finally fell
asleep. We inexplicably yet inevitably
encountered traffic on Route 1 at 11 o’clock at night on a Friday. We moved at a mile per hour as three lanes
merged into one, yet I did not curse or even complain. Somehow, I was relaxed.
Mission accomplished, family vacation. Thank you Madison, NH.
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