Day 2143. As usual it was quite late when I went to bed last night, about 1:30 am. Tammy still had a fever during the night and both she and Emmy joined me. The boys were up early and Tammy also got up quickly this morning. They wanted to play with their friend, our host's grand-daughter who had spent the night there. And that's what they did. They played hard until the time when we left.
I got up after I was woken up. I was very tired but I started packing. I wanted to get that done first before sitting down for breakfast. The others had all eaten already. After I was done packing, Randy loaded the car up while I sat down at the table and ate their leftovers. While I was eating I was watching the kids play and have fun. Sammy loves the Grandma in the house, and after we had left there, he kept asking when we'll be back to see her. We took a group picture, then it was time to say good-bye. At 10 am we left, all waving hard at each other.
We had a 2-hour drive to Topeka ahead of us. Tammy and Emmy were not allowed to have their tablets today as punishment for their behavior the other day. Sammy had his tablet but there was no more wifi for them so it wasn't really interesting. I ended up using my phone with wifi for them the whole time. They watched a Christian show and a movie and started another movie. My phone was attached to the car, giving directions to Randy while playing the audio through its loudspeakers. I put the phone between Randy and me where they could see it.
We drove the two hours to Topeka without stopping. I had already been disappointed that my friend had no time to see us, and then the couple we always meet also let us know on short notice that they were not coming which was disappointing. There would have been a shorter route to KC. However, I had wanted to go to Sheridan's, so that's where we stopped to eat.
I discovered that place while I was living in Kansas City and loved its icecream. Today we got to taste its regular food and it was also very good.
They had a small dining-in area, and we occupied a booth. I ordered, then we sat down. Soon three big trays of food came - lots of the best fries I've eaten plus two cheeseburgers and chicken strips that were also delicious. We ate then we got our icecream/frozen custard. We all enjoyed it.
Before we left there, the kids noticed a dog in a transparent box with holes at the neighboring table. Emmy started playing with the dog and putting his nose to the dog's nose as he was putting it into the hole.
At 1:30 pm we left there and continued on our way to KC which was another 90 minutes. I was pretty tired and closed my eyes as much as the kids allowed me to. Sammy was the only one falling asleep once - before lunch - though it seems that Emmy was also asleep briefly.
Just after 3 pm we arrived at our destination in the south-east of Kansas City. For the next 12 days we're staying with a family of 6 that we already stayed with 2 years ago. It was great seeing them again. We went inside into a small living room, where there were lots of toys that the kids immediately started exploring. We were also talking with each other while they were playing. Sammy enjoyed the piano and the keyboard.
Randy brought the luggage inside and took it to our big room in the basement. I then went to settle in, opening up the suitcases after having put them into the right spots. Then I turned my computer on to catch up on some of the work I hadn't completed. I enjoyed the quiet to be able to work, while the kids were playing upstairs.
Then the kids came saying they were going into the small pool in the garden so they put their swimsuits on. I went with them to see and take some pictures, then I returned inside and continued working.
Soon they also returned inside, got dressed and left again to have fun with the four kids of the house. Then I was called as they were grilling hot dogs in the fire. It was a first for the kids who were holding long metal sticks with the sausages on them into the fire. Then we actually ate them. Sammy was more interested in the dog and the cat than the food, and he was allowed to feed the dog some bread.
Then the kids were given marshmallows to put on their sticks and again, they held them into the fire. Emmy was then told how to make a smore with a cracker and chocolate, and he said that he liked it. Tammy was still not feeling well and not interested in eating anything at all.
I then went inside, and the kids soon followed. It was already later than usual. We skipped the bath, they got ready for bed, and I read them a story. There's a bunkbed right next to ours, and Emmy was first to say he'd sleep on top. But then he was scared of tornadoes again and decided to sleep on the bottom, together with Sammy, while Tammy was going to sleep on top. I prayed for them, and they went to bed. Tammy was still having a fever.
I continued working on my computer, and Randy soon went to bed. Tammy was rather restless and climbed into our bed before I was done working. Now it's 12:30 am, and I'd really like to go to bed as well.
