Spillin' the Tea at 503

Wow, it’s been a while since we posted. And that’s because Trish and I just returned from San Antonio, TX, a little break from the daily rhythm (and occasional chaos) at 503. The trip was for the Freedom Through Vigilance Association annual reunion and let me tell you – it was equal parts nostalgia, camaraderie, storytelling and eating! The Alamo Café, a favorite haunt of ours when we lived in San Antonio in the ‘90s, saw us for dinner on three consecutive evenings.  We met friends for dinner one of those nights (Myrna & Andy Felty) and made it a romantic fajita dinner for two the other two evenings.  We left with 5 dozen tortillas to bring back to family!

Blue Angel RV Park and Campground, Pensacola, Florida

Dinner at Alamo Cafe with Myrna & Andy Felty

Meanwhile, back at headquarters, a small army kept things running.

Thankfully, Anne put together a binder of notes entitled “So You Decided to Leave Your Parents With Someone Else” and we left them with a refrigerator full of labeled containers and at least three written versions of “how to turn the TV on” – none of which, I’m convinced, anyone actually looked at! 

The Home Team: The Real Fiesta Heroes

Stephanie took the first shift – cool, calm and extremely capable. She held down the fort, ran the schedule and kept everyone fed and functional. If caregiving were an Olympic event, she’d have earned a gold medal and a standing ovation.  The thing is, this is easy for Stephanie – she is Big Guy’s favorite fan, #1 grandchild and human laugh track!  Her kindness is extraordinary, her laughter is contagious and her caring is off the charts.  We had only one day of overlap before turning over the hand receipt to her – I wish it were longer …

Some notes left by Stephanie – she brings out the best in Big Guy:

When it was time to tag out, Bill and Deb jumped in. Smooth hand-off, minimal casualties. Bill being Bill, I imagine the hand-off was like a NASCAR pit crew – fast and focused, only with snacks!  Bill was kind enough to change the oil in my car while we were away and fill her up with gas.  But, I think my car missed me though: when I got back and took it out for a trip to the Parris Island Commissary, it locked the doors and wouldn’t let me out!  I could swear I heard her say “I’m sorry, Jerry. I’m afraid I can’t do that?” in an eerie HAL9000 voice (IYKYK).

Overwatch for the week was provided by Anne and Ariel, the local command support team. They didn’t just keep an eye on things, they ran recon missions, made sure everyone was fed and brought Denali and the kids over for periodic entertainment!

Final Thoughts

Trish and I were extremely grateful to Stephanie, Bill, Deb, Anne and Ariel for allowing us a few days to unwind on the road and in San Antonio.  Knowing that everyone at 503 was cared for made the trip even sweeter.

So here’s to family teamwork, military reunions and the kind of love that travels — whether it’s to San Antonio, from Maryland, Florida, North Carolina or just across the street.