A couple of years ago I wrote a column for the Standard Times about how, sometimes, you have to go with Plan B in life. Well here we go again!
As I write this, I’m in Virginia Beach house-sitting and dog-sitting for my son Doug and my daughter-in-law Marla.
They went on a cruise. Yeah this time they volunteered to go on a boat and didn’t have to bunk with 200 other sailors. Priscilla was here for the first few days but she had to go back and do that “work” thing.
The original plan, I guess that would be “Plan A,” was for me to fly back Tuesday and then the kids would make the trip north next weekend. They’re all coming home for Christmas and to say my wife is ecstatic would be an understatement.
Then the Navy stepped in.
My son-in-law Steven is assigned to the aircraft carrier George H.W. Bush and even though it’s in the boatyard getting routine maintenance they still have to do Navy stuff and man the ship. Well due to various people being sick or out on injury leave they can’t let Steven off for Christmas. He said it came down to him and one other First Class and that guy has three children, the oldest being 7, aka “Prime Santa Claus years,” and that guy’s wife would kill him if he volunteered.
So I postponed my flight to be used at a later time and since I don’t want my daughter to drive all the way from Virginia to Fairhaven alone with a two month old, I’m going to make the trip with her. I’m already planning my best Grampy songs and silly voices and thank goodness her SUV has legroom in the backseat for me to hang out with the little dude.
I’ve mentioned before how I don’t know how they do it. Schedules change and people fly here and there but somehow they keep it all together. My daughter Sarah is obviously disappointed but she was quick to point out that they have had four Christmases together without a deployment and, at least he’s still in the same time zone for Christmas.
Wish us luck! I’m already polishing up my “Wheels on the Bus” and other children’s songs I know. My grandson actually has his own playlist on Spotify that Sarah played all through the pregnancy and it does calm him down. It’s a mix of Showtunes, Kenny Chesney and the Beatles. The young man appreciates the classics.
Okay. Are we there yet?
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