Little Red Riding Hood

Bodhi, today you were little red riding hood, on a trip to see your Grandma Betty. As soon as Daddy got off work, he hurried home to get his traveling companion, little red riding hood Bodhi and joined by Sister Kelly and Brother Aaron we began a journey to Vincennes.

Grandma Betty tragically fell and broke her pelvic bone and is hospitalized at Good Samaritan Hospital in Vincennes (home of the “Alices,” that’s another story). Sister Kelly and Brother Aaron agreed to accompany us for the trip and you insisted that you wanted to go, so with kisses to Mommy and Buddha we were off.

It is a fair journey, usually about a three and a half hour ride, and you are an exceptional traveler Ms. Bodhi. You just sat and gazed out the window and on occasion chatted with the grown-ups. Near Mooresville, we stopped at Poe’s Cafeteria (disappointing) for lunch, then proceeded on our way. We again stopped in Worthington, Indiana just to break up the trip and visited a “general store” where of course you selected some candy for yourself and your brother, even in absentiaJ.

We also took a slight detour as we passed through Grandma Betty’s home town of Bicknell and visited the site of her home, a place Daddy spent a good deal of time visiting as a little boy. Back on the road, we soon were at the hospital and were pleasantly surprised to be greeted by your Aunt Diane and cousin Katie (they both adore you, Ms. Bodhi!) and Katie took you outside to play while Daddy and Sister Kelly and Brother Aaron visited with Grandma Betty. We were also joined by Aunt Terrie, shortly before we left the hospital.

It is difficult for Daddy to write about Grandma Betty, as her condition is heartbreaking to witness. Her memory is clearly impaired as she could not remember Brother Aaron’s name and kept referring to him by a different name (“Steve”—Daddy is guessing she was confusing Aaron with Terrie’s former husband).

After leaving the hospital, we all made a visit to a site where Daddy gathers rocks from Vincennes for Mommy’s rock garden at home, then we made a direct trip home to bring an end to a tiring and difficult day. Sister Kelly and Brother Aaron certainly made this trip more enjoyable, and you our darling baby girl angel, made the trip a wondrous journey.

Love, love, love.