It’ time to run another “Schnauzerthon,” as I wait for my wife to get out of bed. The pups are anxious, hovering around my writing desk. As I look around my office, much of the clutter has been removed off the shelves in preparation for photographs this week. It was sad to put away the bobble-heads, baseballs, and other memorabilia that I’ve collected throughout the years. Most of its value is personal. By the same token, my wife stripped our refrigerator of magnets that she has gathered from our world travels. Until all these knick-knacks find a new home, they will probably sit in their storage boxes. The sale of our home will go “live” in a few weeks, as we look forward to a nomad existence of rentals and hotels. A couple of handy men are also scheduled next week to do some touch-up repairs. I’ll do a couple of runs to Goodwill to clear out the closets and hopefully make our humble home a showpiece. 

My son Adam turns 45 this week, and he’s in Orlando, Florida for an early celebration. His wife is attending a conference. Their annual family pass has expired after years of visiting the park, so they will not be going to Disney World on this trip. I’ll be traveling to see them in early October while my wife entertains her Indianapolis girlfriends here in Portland. It will be a nice break for both of us between weddings. The last half of this year will be hectic, but so far we have no holiday plans for the first time in our marriage. With the passing my wife’s mother, we will not be making the annual treks to Indiana around Thanksgiving and Christmas. We’ll pick a time of the year when airline prices are more reasonable to go back and visit our respective sisters. 

My daughter-in-law in on a health kick, following the birth of their last baby. However, they will still fill their cupboards with Uncrustables, Double-Stuffed Oreos, and Diet Coke especially for “Grandpa J.” It’s the same problem every time I travel away from home – added pounds. This is why it’s important to return home between adventures; to reestablish proper eating discipline. I’m currently trying to shed the pounds I gained in San Francisco. Even though I still run the same 3-mile distance every day whether at home or not, I still tend to gain about a half-pound a day while on the road. This despite even a lot of sight-seeing on foot. I would call it the “vacation curse,” but there are no vacations when you’re retired like me. 

I don’t get to see my three grandchildren very often, living over 3,000 miles apart. The October trip to Florida will give me time to visit with them before they forget who I am. The oldest, Gavyn, is now a teenager and surprisingly into golf. Maddux is now ten and a dancer. I get an occasional video from her recitals. Baby Nora will be a year-and-a-half old by the time I get there, with only one previous meeting in Chicago. Stranger Danger! I’ll look forward to seeing the whole family, but this time I will not be “Disney Grandpa.” (See Post #981). Frankly, most of our gatherings have been in Orlando, since it’s typically the most affordable airport for a direct flight. In this case, I’ll be flying in and out of Tampa, and they will all have to get to know me as more than just the guy who gets them through the gate. 

I don’t ever remember going to Disney World with my parents. After all, it didn’t open until 1971 when I was half-way through college. I do remember going to Busch Gardens in Tampa with the family as a kid. Florida was an annual destination for many Hoosiers. My grandparents had a mobile home in Englewood where we would travel frequently both by car and plane. In addition, my first wife’s father bought a condo on Siesta Key, Florida and we soon followed suit. As a result, Disney World was easily within hours. I can’t even count the number of times I’ve been there and never tire of going. I’ve always enjoyed showing it off to my grand kids, although they’ve probably already easily surpassed my total number of visits. It will tough for them to take a hiatus from multiple admissions every year, but without the annual pass that will be too costly. “Disney Grandpa” to the rescue? It’s an important part of all our lives. We’ll see how much they miss it – and how much “Grandpa Guilt” I feel.