August 21, 2010

It's a wrap

Mr. Gadget and I are tying up loose ends here at the Calcondo in preparation for our departure tomorrow. In the process, we decided to try out the scanning feature of the new printer we purchased during our stay.

This is a picture of my dad's side of the family. If you know me there's no longer any doubt about where all of my hair came from. That's my grandfather at the top left with my grandma Ferna to his left. My aunt--my dad's older sister--is in front of grandpa in the white dress. She's my role model. Earlier this month she turned 93--just after returning from a two-month trip to Singapore. The travel genes must be attached to the hair genes. I can only hope the longevity genes grabbed on too.

My great grandparents are seated in the rocking chairs. The chair that great grandpa is sitting in is now in our guest room in Connecticut. I have plans, and a pattern, to make a couple of elderly lady dolls to sit in it. All in good time. My father is standing to great grandpa's left. Isn't it interesting that people rarely smiled in old photos? I guess back then having one's photo taken was serious business.

So now that we're done with the scanning, the real wrapping-up business can begin. Mr. Gadget has a checklist--thank goodness. It works well, but we've found what works best for certain tasks--like turning off the water and locking the front door--is for me to state out loud that a certain chore is being done as Mr. G goes through the motions. It has saved us from having to make U-turns between here and the airport.

One of our tasks involves bringing the outside patio furniture in. This includes 2 plastic chairs and a small table from the front, and 2 chairs, a table and a chaise lounge from the back. Oh, and now the rock turtle. After this is finished we close all of the drapes. If any unscrupulous characters are lurking around, this is their sign that we've flown the coop.

You may be wondering about the ants. They don't like it when we leave, so they leave too. It would be so much nicer if they'd just come in and use the place while we're gone, but apparently there's no such thing as a timeshare arrangement in the ant world.

1 comment:

Kathy W said...

That is a wonderful picture of all your ancestry nearly? And so long ago. Love the serious demeanor on everyone's faces. The creativity gene runs wild in your family! How do you do this. Has to be attached to all the hair and longevity genes, too! Heehee. So how's the weather at the Concondo? Hope your day is wonderful--and I do like your ideas on closing up the Calcondo! Works for us, too. Only we don't list but we say every thing outloud so that somehow it will enter our inner un- conciousness? We usually lose the list. My uncle, the engineer, is approaching 90. If he makes it, my grandmother (deceased in '62) will have had all four of her children reach 90 years of age! Quite a record for a farmer's wife who had their youngest child (him) at age 42.